#He keeps up with his daughters lives to make sure they’re doing ok he even keeps up with his wife apparently

[ciderjacks]

I do sort of get where ur coming from , but also I will say like. First of all, We don’t know her communication style, it very much could be just as awful as his. In fact I’d wager to bet it is. And like considering the most we know for sure about their whole deal — besides that he was generally a good husband who treated her well enough to make the evil horse want him dead — is that he would often leave for a job she didn’t know much about and frequently come back injured, so like. 

Idk. I could see it as a passive aggressive thing. Like “ok if you’re gonna leave to go somewhere, tell me nothing, push me away, and make me wonder wether you’ll even come back alive, then let me show you how that feels”, and especially since she went to live with their daughters and not on her own, I don’t think she was actually planning on leaving leaving.  She wanted to scare him and make him think about how she was feeling, but didn’t really consider the difference in situation and the difference in implications that come from leaving for seemingly no reason vs leaving for a job.

And next of all,, ok so listen. I will gladly acknowledge he’s not perfect. But in Chilchuck’s defence here - as secretive and as bad at communication as Chilchuck can be, he’s never come off as the type of person who would stay willfully ignorant like that, and I don’t think he’d ever brush her off if she genuinely did confront him. Like when you look at how he acts in the story, that’s never been something he does.

His interaction with Marcille in the bicorn chapter - she gets mad at him for teasing her, he stops and then apologizes and changes his own behaviour

The mandrake chapter, he immediately starts to apologize (before she says the “I wanted to make them laud over me” bit) and then later apologizes again

This interaction where he shows an understanding of Namaris predicament and defends her even though it goes against his own interests

Him being the first person to recognize and confront Laios when he’s acting off

Him being the first person to recognize Senshi wasn’t ok, twice, and then being the person to get Senshi to open up by sacrificing his own comfort and opening up a little.

Him being the first to notice Marcille was acting off (bc he remembers how she is about her hair) and then immediately offering to help her out

Him being the one to notice Laios was acting off (again) and talking him thru it

Him apologizing to Izutsumi unprompted

Good medicine speaks for itself

But all that to say- like as much as he can be a closed off jerk, he is actually usually very in tune with people’s feelings and is also usually the one confronting people when he notices somethings wrong. I can’t remember a time in the manga where he’s noticed / been confronted on an issue and just let it go unchecked.

unnecessarily depressing image

[nicodrawings]

Dump time featuring Billie Morales aka Silly Billie

Update 2: oh! Also the first two illustrations are based on Yotsuba art!

Update: ok HC time, if you wanna know more keep reading as usual.

BILLIE SECTION

-I made Billie 5 years old.

-I’ve mentioned this before but Billie has Asperger’s.

-She didn’t talk until she was like 3 going on 4.

-Her nickname is "silly billy"

-Miles always says "how's my favorite girl in the whole wide world?" when he comes home from school on the weekends.

-Miles is a doting big brother and helps take care of her as well as connecting with her interests.

-As much as she loves her parents, she thinks the world of Miles. She's up under him the most, especially when she's over stimulated, stressed or sleepy. His heartbeat calms her.

-She has a limit to physical contact and taps when she’s ready to let go. She usually only hugs her family. Her and Ganke do hand touches instead of hugs.

-The family helps her navigate her environment and her emotions as well as socializing but never push anything that makes her uncomfortable. They always ask questions and have special routines to help her.

-A part of her routine is on Saturdays they go to the park so she can see the pigeons.

-Miles does not like pigeons, but tolerates them for Billies sake.

-They also have special songs for her like "🎶when you walk across the street take ur eyes off your feet🎶" to remind her to look both ways and pay attention when walking across the street since she can get distracted easily.

-The songs they use also attach her to music. So whenever they go to ganke he plays the piano for her and they make songs up and when she hears a song she likes she starts stimming and wiggling.

-She also takes interest in drawing because she sees Miles drawing and they draw animals and watch Steve Irwin on Saturdays too.

-She doesn't understand figure of speeches so if you say "don't sweat it" she would be like "...sweat what?"

-she doesn’t show a lot of emotions unless she’s feeling something intense.

-She rarely sees Miles in superhero mode in public but when she does she just goes “SPIDER!” and smiles and he waves at her.

-Moral of this story, she is loved.

HOBIE

-He lives with his grandparents in the Bronx area (I’m not sure which side yet tho).

-He loves his grandparents very much.

-One time at a punk rock concert a wise man told him “the most punk thing to do is to take care of yourself, don’t be reliant on the system to do so, cuz they ain’t”

-He told his grandpa the following day and they had a heart to heart about it considering that Hobie was very depressed at the time.

-So with that being said, health is incredibly important to him.

-Some ppl tease him and call him “straight-edge” but it don’t bother him much.

-Hobie officially meets the other spiders when he’s 16.

-Clicks with Gwen and Miles almost immediately.

-Especially Miles, Peter always jokes and says that they were definitely brothers in their past lives.

-Gwen and Hobie bond over music.

-Gwen gets the crush first.

-But unlike Miles she’s more forward and doesn’t wait a billion years so she’s asks him out.

-Hobie says yes.

-Only one that knows how to drive by the time he’s 18.

OTHER STUFF

-Gwen’s relationship with her father just…never gets better in my AU. He’s just an ass and as far as Gwen is concerned they’re not family, they’re just related. With that being said, although it’s never acknowledged, Gwen definitely sees Peter as a father figure in her life. She even has him as her top emergency contact. Peter started to understand this when she was 16, he never questioned it and sees her as his oldest daughter. When she’s had really bad arguments with her father she goes to Peters and spends the night.

-Peter and MJ’s home is open to all the spiderkids. No questions asked.

-Peter and MJ always say “On our taxes we have one kid” when people ask them how many kids they have.

-When Peter gets home he sees how many pairs of shoes are at the door then yells “how many kids are in the house?" They usually yell in response which gives him an idea as to how many kids are there.

-On average there’s no less than 2.

-One time he asked and a really deep voice responded along with the kids.

-It was Venom.

-All the spiders have their own therapist’s but every other weekend there’s a group therapy session for kids with powers funded by S.H.E.I.L.D. It’s not required that they go but it’s open for them regardless, just sign up and come in.

-Ganke donates some of his legos to the program and helps assist sometimes with running it since it’s not ran in the best shape.

-This connects to a bigger problem of helping hero’s with their mental health and stability, especially when they decide to retire.

-If you read the other AU list I had, this is the reason why Ganke switches his major to Social Work when he goes to college.

NICKNAMES

Peter’s nicknames for the kids:

Miles-“Junior/Little Man”

May-“Mayday”

Gwen-"Gwennie Pie”

Ganke-“Goober”

Hobie-“Hobie” (obviously)

Anya-“Ani”

Ganke’s nicknames:

Friends-“Gee” judge calls him “G-money”

Miles’s mom-“Honey”

Ganke’s mom-“Gee-Chan”

The boy that bullies him AKA Sean “Gay-ke”

Peter-“Goober” (as I’ve said before)

Venom and Eddie-“Boy”

Miles’s for when he’s feeling affectionate-“Cariño”

Anyway that’s all I got for now! If you have any questions about my AU please feel free to ask away. I love talking about it as you can see.

[spacehostilityy]

rewatching the OVAs (netflix s2)

low key one of my fave intros art wise (we all know howling by granrodeo is my fave intro song lol) like the suits !! are so !! cute!!!

and this frame is adorable !!

I love the search for hawk sm theyre all so fucking cute

Meliodas casually dropping “you are my purpose in life” to Elizabeth like a month after they met is INSANE. Bc from his side, makes sense. Fell in love when they were young from opposite sides of a war, risked everything to be together, have been finding and losing each other for 3000 years. But from her side, he is a cool guy she has a crush on (who is at least 15ish years older than her) who she might have known as a child. He also just described her as his entire life’s purpose. Like bro THATS CRAZYYY

Seeing Meliodas destroy the horn of cernunos is such a badass moment to me. The way he responds to her taunting with direct action and violence rather than his usual merciful beating around the bush. My favorite Mel moments are when he is using his silly goofy little guy façade and suddenly has to drop it. This is when we see a glimpse of who he was when leading the 10 commandments: arrogant, powerful, and constantly full of rage

it just so happens that arrogant, powerful, and constantly full of rage are my most prized qualities in any character

WAIT HOLY SHIT IS THE “HEINOUS SIN” MELIODAS IS CONSIDERING THAT THE GODDESS SAYS WILL DRIVE EVERYONE HE LOVES AWAY REFERRING TO HIS PLAN TO BECOME THE DEMON KING ?!?!?!?

THAT WOULD MAKE SO MUCH SENSE AND ADDS LOWKEY A TON CHARACTER MOTIVATION TO EVERYTHING ELSE MEL DOES FROM HERE ON OUT

maybe everyone knew this and im late to the game but damn that would be so cool

im pretty sure ban switches out his red leather for the long burgundy coat is bc he keeps getting stabbed front to back and the coat has a hole in the back so the weapon wont tear it lolll😭

i feel like their faces (esp meliodas’s) look a tiny bit janky in the OVAs

once again appreciating the intro 😌

They’re so fucking cute !!

Merlin and Ban clearly don’t rlly like each other much yet and it’s so funny to me

Like these are Meliodas’s closest friends and they just kinda annoy each other a lot

it’s like fuckin icarly

Gustav: the captain and one of his fellow sins going one on one? We might neve see something like this again!

hahahahaha nooo. i mean gustav didn’t, he’s dead. but the rest will el ol el

Gil is the biggest dork to ever live and howzer is concerned. Mans is crying at watching them fight and howzer is just like … ok ??

Bartra: where the fuck is my daughter

his daughter: literally watching a cage fight

MELIODAS RIPS OFF BAN’S FUCKING ARM AND SMACKS HIM WITH IT AHSDBFKSKFSDHFFK LOLLLL

theyre literally the cutest

bestiesss (boyfriends)

every one of these bitches is a fucking alcoholic

ban’s whole character is that he’s a depressed, violent alcoholic and I love him

my horrible secret is that im skipping through a lot of ova 3 bc im just not a kiane girlie😔

i do love diane tho she so babygirl

nakaba’s not even thinly veiled size kink strikes again. Seriously, i can fuck with it, but its so funny that every single main ship has a significant/abnormal height difference

hendy and dreyfus are so gay for each other im genuinely surprised it’s not canon

like look at this scene and tell me something lgbt is not happening here

omg my pfp !!

Howzer’s dad is such a dick i love it

Meliodas using the sugar spoon to full counter is literally so fucking cute, i love when they have to use dumb weapons

but also vivian lost to a tiny spoon hehe

bet gil regrets not killing vivian after she kidnaps and permanently fucks up his son ahaha🥲

Merlin being fucking terrifying saying that vivian should have realized that she is a monster is why im gay

Meanwhile Meliodas:

I love when his face does that he’s so baby

KASDBFKLHDFNWDKF GIL, HOWZER, AND GRIAMOR ALL BEGING HORNY ABT “MATURE WOMAN” MERLIN

anyway time to start season 2!!

[harlowtales]

Reader finds out she is pregnant and doesn’t want to stay hidden in Jack’s life. She gives him an ultimatum.

18+ Drama and Adult Themes/Sweet🤱🏽🤰🏽👶🏼

The news that you were pregnant had Jack over the moon, but he could tell it wasn’t what you wanted at this time “Its not the greatest timing but we’ll make it work.” He said as you were having a tense conversation about keeping it or not. You were holding the test wondering what to do.

“Look I’m not ready” you said. “It’s still early in the game. Why don’t we just take care of this quietly, and we can move on” you were always better at being pragmatic than he was.

“What the fuck are you telling me? What does take care of it quietly mean?” He felt anger starting to bubble up and wanted to remember the state you were in. He couldn’t imagine his mother finding out she almost had a grandchild. Plus he loved you. “Early in the game? This is not a game” he said pulling you close and rubbing your belly. “This is my daughter” he said lovingly.

“Whoah. How do know that?” You said pulling away a bit. “I’m not sure this is what I want Jack.” You saw Jack’s face change. You knew he was so confused and you were concerned he would blame you for derailing his career. White Men Can’t Jump was such a big hit that now he was getting offers left and right. Plus you had your own business going. A child was not in your plans. But it was Jack’s baby making this extra hard because you loved him so much.

“You would be a great mom” he said trying to reason with you. “You’re smart, we make enough money…”

“We don’t even live together Jack. We tried that remember? You said bitterly

“That’s because it became a frat house and the guys don’t even spend much time there anymore. With a baby around they would respect that.” He said “If we do this you have to move back in.” He insisted “Look at me please?” He tilted your chin up with his hand and looked into your eyes. You started tearing up. “What is it?” He pleaded “What can I do to change your mind?”

“Stop flirting for starters and we go public” You said decisively. You looked at him bracing for his protest as it was a constant issue. The way Jack acted everyone on the internet thought he was single and he never talked about you to the press. He sat there for a bit. What you were proposing was a total commitment. You had to play hardball. Jack had a history of being evasive. You didn’t want to hold a gun to his head, but you weren’t going to stay hidden as the mother of his child.

“Hardball huh?.” He said. “ It’s fair, but that means you cut all ties with old boy. No running to him if we hit a rough patch.” Jack countered. You sat there contemplating what to say. Guys never get completely rid of their options. If Jack thought you were falling for that he had another thing coming.

“Ok, lose the problem 3’s numbers. Unfollow them. Even you know who.” You shot back. He knew who the problem 3 were. If you were left without a safety net, he had to do the same. You weren’t worried about randoms, but these 3 girls had staying power causing problems in the past. You and one of them had come to a brief understanding but the other two were huge bitches always trying shit.

“Ok. Deal.” He said much easier than you thought.

“Ok?” You said surprised. “That was too easy” you thought suspiciously.

“To have my family together? My own family? Fuck them.” He said decidedly “They’re nothing but a headache anyway.”

You had prepared for more of a fight and didn’t know what to say. Jack saw how thrown off you were. And smirked a little feeling a sense of victory. “So….” He said pulling you back and unfolding your arms. You melted as you always did when he said sorry or saw something your way. “Soooo?” He asked planting a kiss on you. “Are you making me a father or not?”

You hesitated to answer. Your concerns were real, but you could tell he really wanted this. Jack was a family man and a determined man. He he was close to his family. You weren’t with yours. His family became yours. They took you in and always made you feel welcome. Lately you had even had some heart to hearts with his mom. She said she knew how Jack could get and said she would talk to him and set him straight. It really helped and Jack had been making more of an effort ever since. “My mom told me to get my shit together.” He said “I get it now and I want to be there for you… and our daughter.” He promised.

This had you in full in tears. He held you close now until you stopped sobbing. “I know you’re scared. You didn’t have a family, but I am not going to abandon you or our child. My mom would kill me!” He joked trying to lighten the mood as he always did. Jack couldn’t stand tension. He wiped the tears streaming down your face. “Are you wearing the makeup from your brand baby?” He asked

Jack was random but this was really random. “Uummm yeah” you said through your sniffles “Why?”

“Because none of your mascara is running with you crying! I can endorse this product. Unfortunately I have put it to the test.” He said giggling.

His blue eyes twinkled and dimples flashed beneath his beard that was a perfect combination of being scruffy yet manicured. He had you in the palm of his hand and you hated it. It was then you knew that you wanted with all your soul to see his baby with those eyes and that dimple that you would share. This was a whole life with him. “Jack” you finally said having calmed down.

“Yes baby?” He said

“Ok.” You said

“Ok!?” He said excitedly

“Yeah.” You said “Ok, let’s do this!”

“Holy fuck! I’m a dad?” He said looking at you with all the hope he ever had

“Yes. You’re a dad.” You said smiling rubbing your tummy with the pregnancy test still in your hands.

“Fuck yeah!!!!” He exclaimed loudly flinging you around “Oh shit sorry baby.” He said carefully putting you down. “I’m calling my mom, and Urban, and Clay.”

🏷️ Tag List

@itsyagirljaz @jacks-daycare @killatravtramp @ride4harlow @jackmans-poison @heavyhitterheaux

[pokeshadow]

Ok so this image the official Scream twitter posted of the shrine has been eating my brain for days now. 

WHO THE FUCK IS THIS GHOSTFACE? Just look at all the shit in this shrine! This isn’t just a Stab fanboy, because there’s stuff like the fax machine from Scream 3 and what looks like Richie’s shirt. This isn’t just a Billy/Stu fanboy because Mrs Loomis’s jacket’s in there, what looks like Kenny’s cap is in there, and again Richie’s jacket. But they also have crazy shit like Billy’s blood stained shirt, the robes Stu wore during the party, Tatum’s outfit, a recreation of Steve in the chair complete with the jacket, what looks like SKETCHES Stu or Billy made planning what they wanted to do to Casey, what looks like someone sketching portraits of Sidney Tatum Stu and Billy in the case next to tatum’s outfit, what looks like the CAMERA Gale used to film what went down in the house, there’s a gun next to Mrs Loomis’s jacket that looks just like the one she used, and what I think is most important, the ACTUAL GHOSTFACE COSTUME USED THAT NIGHT. Well, one of them at least, since most likely Billy did also get up at one point to help Stu out, meaning two ghosties were running around at once that night. It’s the only one behind protective glass, and you can see the blood stain on the right shoulder from where Sidney wore it (she was stabbed there and bleeding). If it’s the only one being that well cared for, it has to be the real deal. SO WHO THE FUCK WAS ABLE TO GET THEIR HANDS ON ALL THIS SHIT? Even if most of it is just recreations, HOW DID THEY KNOW EXACTLY WHAT TO CREATE? Why such obscure shit like Kenny’s hat? You don’t just recreate sketches when you don’t know someone did them in the first place. So who the fuck could get their hands on Stu/Billy’s art??

They made it clear at the end of Scream 2022 that they weren’t going to share the names or motives of the latest killers to try and break the cycle, so this is someone who KNOWS about Richie. There is a very small number of people in the know about what happened, so it’s someone we KNOW (theoretially). BUT, also someone who’s been religiously following ALL the ghostface murders since the beginning. AND it’s someone targeting Gale and Sam spesifically, NOT SIDNEY.

So, first obvious answer. Is this Stu? Honestly, I really don’t think so. Stu was never this obsessive, his end goal from the start was always just to have fun indulging in his dark desires, and because he loved Billy so much all he had to do was ask. Without a Billy, why would he be doing this? Especially to Billy’s daughter. Even if you want to go the route of he lived and is still full of that old hate, why would he be attacking Billy's daughter when presumably his motives would still be avenging Billy? At the end of the day, if Stu were to still be holding a grudge after all these years, his target would still be SIDNEY. Not Randy’s niece and nephew. Sure, Gale wrote the books that lead to the movies, which slammed the hell out of him, but his end goal has always been Sidney. Plus, the Ghostface we see in the trailers is someone who’s been training for this. They’re fast, agile, strong, they’re trying to be the ultimate killing machine. Even if we say that goofy ass Stu has been training all this time, he’s still at bare minimum, 44 years old. Sure, there’s some fit as fuck people in that age range out being commandos, but someone we know as a gangly stick tripping over his own feet? That and why would he collect stuff from the Stabs and murders not related to him? The Stab 3 case is the most prominant thing in that picture, and why would he track down and keep RICHIE's jacket? I love Stu to death, but it really doesn’t make sense that this is him as the killer.

A semi interesting theory, it’s Leslie Macher. She’s been there since day 1, she’d have some knowledge about Richie since her son was killed in the events of all that, and it’d make sense she’d have a grudge moreso focused on Gale since her books would have ruined her family. It’s implied her partner left her and she had to raise her son alone, if she kept the name Macher for any period of time she would have been hounded by people about what her brother did, given the way Stu seems genuinly upset about his parents finding out what he did it sounds like they were good people who’s lives would have been DESTROYED by what happened. If someone has a grudge against Gale, it’s Leslie. But she was Stu’s OLDER sister. All of the above about Stu’s age not matching the hardcore fitness killer we see apply to her moreso. Sure, she’d have the most direct access to things like Stu’s robes, sketches, the camera planted in her house, but how would she get her hands on all of the stuff not related to her brother. They don’t just let people walk into the police station and take evidence they’re not using anymore. It could be someone on behalf of Leslie, like how Mrs Loomis had her pet Mickey to run around and do the hard work while she cleaned up the mess, but that’s something we’ll just have to keep in mind until the movie comes out.

Another theory I’ve seen go around alot, it’s Sam’s new boyfriend Danny. Ok, kinda makes sense. Danny, like DBD Ghostface Danny, and the name of the irl killer than inspired Scream Danny. That has to be deliberate, or at least known by the film makers. But come on, are they really going to have “Ooo is it the boyfriend?!” for the 4th damn time. Plus with this focus on the history of the killings, why would the killer be just some random guy we met like 20 minutes ago? Unless Danny IS the little pawn mentioned in the above bit, but again are they really going to do the killer boyfriend song and dance *again*. 

There's a neat theory it's Gale given this shrine is in New York, where she's lived the entire time, and she would have the means to get her hands on all this stuff since she’s the reporter who covered all these cases. But really guys come on, after all these years of getting shot and stabbed by these people, and getting the love of her live killed by one, is she really going to turn around now and go "You know, maybe they had a point". Plus, to go back to why I think it’s not Stu, Gale is even OLDER and has a far more messed up body. She's been shot in the gut at least 3 times now. There’s no way she’s our hardcore commando Ghostface. PLUS plus, the starting phone call of the movie is HER being attacked, so why would she stage that when no one would see it but us the audience?

So to round it all back. The killer is someone who knows and worships the history of those behind the ghostface masks. Given the ancient looking mask on display, they might even HAVE the original ghostface mask (or at least one of them, Billy and Stu used like 4 in that first film). They’re someone who could get their hands on things probably SIDNEY didn’t even know exsisted, like the sketches. This isn't just a Stab fan boy, this isn't just a Billy/Stu fanboy, AND it's someone who knows about what happened in the last movie even though they never made the names and motivations of the killers public.

WHO THE FUCK IS THIS GHOSTFACE???

This post will be fun to go back to in a month after the release of the movie lol.

[zecretsanta]

ZEcret Santa Fic

To: @oobi-oobi

  From: @classycorgiposts

Prompt: The cast of 999 keeping up with each other after the events of the game

Me: First text to make sure I have everyone’s number. 

Clover Field: Got it!

Light Field: Received

Junpei Temyouji: No issues here

Ichiro: Here

  Lotus shot Seven a withering look from the seat next to him. “I *know* I have yours, idiot.”

  “Yeah yeah, my bad.” He rolled his eyes.

  Me: Good. Is everyone doing ok? Big lug and I are at the airport waiting on the flight now

Clover: lmao 

Clover: All good here! Light and I will be getting back home soon

Lotus: Got it. Stay safe, and like that Alice woman said, if anything weird at all happens, get in touch

Junpei: Ok mom

Lotus: I’m serious

Junpei: allright, I got it 

  ——————————————-

The moment Hazuki stepped off the plane and saw her daughters, it was like a valve opened and the turbulent emotions she’d been experiencing since the Nonary Game came pouring out, breaking her cool demeanor she’d put on for the others. Seven watched as she burst into tears and ran across the lobby, pushing her way through the crowd towards her daughters, who barreled into her arms, sobbing with joy in return.  

  Standing off to the side so as not to interrupt the moment, Seven pulled out his phone. 

  Seven: Back in Japan. Hazuki’s girls met us here- all good

  Responses came within moments. 

  Light F.: Wonderful news.

Clover F.: SEND PICS

Junpei T.: Awesome, good to hear 

Clover F.: I SAID SEND PICS 

  ——————————————-

  Sitting on the couch in his apartment’s living room, Junpei’s leg bounced up and down nervously as he watched a TV special on the news about the arrest of Cradle Pharmaceuticals CEO and the liquidation of the company. His apartment felt emptier than it had before. 

  Me: You guys see the news?

Snake: Listening to the report as we speak. 

Seven: Took longer than it should have for this to have gone public. Cradle run hospitals here in Japan have been in disarray, they’re almost certainly gonna shut down.

  Since his return home, he’d felt restless and anxious. A nervous energy coursed through him at all times with no outlet. Kanny and Aoi were gone, and all the others he could talk to about the Nonary Game were far away.

  Junpei: Any leads on them yet?

Seven: I already told you I’d let you know as soon I found something, calm down kid

Seven: I’m doing the best I can, but without some kind of lead to follow, it’s near impossible. Akane and Aoi completely took themselves off the map

  Sighing, Junpei continued watching the news. He needed to do something. Anything.

  ——————————————-

Running his hands along the desk in his study, Light felt the sounds and vibrations of the small army of groundskeepers working on maintaining the gardens and forest outside their family’s manor.

  “So what’s going on?” Lotus’s voice came over the phone. “It’s unusual for you to need help,”

  “So you say. I apologize again for the sudden call, but it’s our mother. Put frankly…she’s become tyrannical.” Light sighed. “She’s kept a close eye on us both since my accident as a child of course, but since we’ve returned home, Clover and I haven’t had a moment’s peace. We’re hardly ever allowed to leave the house, and her paranoia over something happening to us again grows day by day. The kicker is that we’re even particularly close emotionally.”

  “Hmm. Let me talk to her.” Lotus declared after a moment’s thought. “Mother to mother.”

———————————————

  “Your mom did what!?” Junpei said in disbelief. Sitting up in bed, he’d been awakened by a sudden call from Clover, groggily listening as she angrily vented on the phone. 

  “Yeah, bodyguards! How insane is that!? My brother tried talking to my mom as his soon a bunch about letting us be even a *bit* independent, but nothing worked, and there was no way she was gonna listen to me. But then Lotus tried to talk to her and she went completely ballistic, ranting about ‘dangerous strangers’ and us just being stupid kids!”

  A sudden notification while she was ranting caused Junpei’s head to swim.

  “Holy shit…I just got a huge amount of money sent to my bank account!

  “What?” Clover gasped. “You think…it’s them? It’s gotta be, right?”

  Junpei’s mind raced. “Hang on- I’ve got an idea.”

———————————————

Seven stood in his office with Junpei on speaker, in front of a cork board with countless photos, cut outs of internet articles, and maps connected by bits of string. It might’ve been cliche, but damn if it didn’t help with seeing the big picture from pieces of a case. 

  “You getting close to their estate?” He asked. 

  “Yeah, almost there. You know, I was really confident about this at first, but I’ve been getting nervous the closer I get. My palms are all sweaty.”

  Junpei was on his way to the Field estate in a car he’d bought with the large amount of money that had been mysteriously deposited into his bank account from an unknown source. 

  “Man, I still feel weird about helpin’ with this too…” Seven mumbled halfheartedly. “But their mom’s basically holdin’ them hostage.”

  “Right.” Junpei’s voice hardened. “

  “If they manage to slip out and follow the route we planned, that is. 

  “They will.” Junpei’s voice grew confident. “They’ve got this.”

———————————————

Sprinting through the carefully tended forest in the pitch black of night, leading her brother and Junpei by the hand, Clover still couldn’t help but laugh with elation. The confused shouts of the bodyguards tearing apart the estate they’d managed to give the slip after days of careful planning with Junpei, Lotus, and Seven were incredibly satisfying. 

  She left behind a cutting note for their mother, so at least she’d know why they left, and that it was extremely of their own accord this time. The money Junpei had randomly received was a lead- one that Lotus and Seven could follow to the Kurashiki siblings. They’d meet with Junpei, hitch a flight to Japan to reunite, and then…Clover didn’t know. But it was a future full of possibility. 

  “Clover, I hear a vehicle.” Light said. “Is that him?”

  A moment later, Clover heard the sound of tires. Just as they exited the dense forest behind their estate on a remote back road, a sedan screeched up the back road, and disheveled Junpei threw open the doors. “Holy shit, it actually worked- you got out.”

  “Let’s talk later!” Helping Light into the back seat, Clover hopped into the passenger seat, quickly hugged Junpei, then threw on her seat belt. 

  “We can catch up shortly.” Light said, hardly out of breath. “For now, we should make ourselves scarce.”

  “On it!” Junpei stepped down on the accelerator, and they were off. “I’m still getting used to this car, so sorry if the ride’s bumpy! I haven’t had to drive in a while!”

“I’m sure it can’t be any worse then Clover’s driving back in Nevada.” Light said wryly, a bittersweet expression on his face as they got further and further from home. Junpei may have brought up the plan for them to run away, but Light had been the one who heavily endorsed it and planned it out. It had been a necceasry evil, for him and Clover both. 

“Rude!” Clover grinned. The adrenaline of escaping from the prison of her home still coursing through her, Clover stuck her head out the window and laughed, the wind blowing on her and the trees passing by in a blur.

A future of freedom, of searching for the truth with the only people she trusted, was in sight.

[galaxirin]

Now with that ehehehe here’s my modern au hcs 🤭🤭

- Laurence is unfortunately a licensed doctor. He uses it to ofc treat patients but does have an underground organ selling business where he gets extra funds from (no wonder he’s stinky rich). And yes, he has like 9273928392 candles around his house and his friends keep telling him that one day one is going to touch a curtain and burn him alive

- He says he’s built different.

- Also has a whole wall of just taxidermies that he bought in his college days, has an especially big buck hanging on his wall that Micolash claims watches him everywhere he goes

- Ludwig owns a farm and a horse racing business (family business) and has his younger siblings help work whenever they’re free. Also gives basic riding lessons to children since he wants everyone to have a horse phase (he never grew out of his)

- Used to be part of the football team with Maria but apparently he was intimidating the opposing side with his height that he decided to “retire” (Maria saw this and decimated the championship for her friend’s honour)

- Stays over at Laurence’s place a lot. Has no idea about his,,, side business and he should stay ignorant.

- Gehrman retired super early after the stocks he bought as a joke suddenly gained a ton of value in less than a few weeks so he’s now able to live comfortably in his early 40s. Refuses to share his secrets

- Lost his foot in a boating incident in a college party, Laurence saved his life by doing basic medical aid even if he was just a freshman at that time. In his pain induced delirium he thought he saw an angel,,, he saw the total opposite

- Maria is his pseudo daughter that he checks up on to make sure she’s ok, said no boyfriend until she’s 50 but she went around and got a girlfriend instead

- Literally cannot drive a car. No matter how many lessons she does she always crashes it (rip Laurence’s BMW) but is extremely good at riding motorcycles

- Joined a biking gang for fun and now she’s as bulking as the men there, even drinks and arm wrestles with them whenever they visit

- Adeline is Maria’s fiancé, they’re just waiting for a specific beach to open up for reservations and then they’ll finally have the ceremony. She’s a writer and earns a lot from her books selling in the thousands

- “Bloody Crow” is Maria’s bratty little brother. That’s not even his real name but he refuses to say it (there’s a rumour that it’s Mario but he’ll beat up anyone who says it)

- He moved in with Maria after their parents got tired of him bringing in his Highschool friends to sing shitty rock songs in the garage

- Micolash is the town’s resident weirdo /j not really tho. Works as a philosophy professor in the local college and he’s so unhinged that students aren’t sure if they should hate him or love him

- has the best handwriting out of everyone else and is damn proud of it. It used to be Laurence but he got the infamous doctor’s handwriting after a year so he’s at the very bottom

- He and Rom schedule hangouts in the local cafe to talk about how life is going and updates about their research (the literal occult). 100% believes the beach that Maria and Adeline are trying to reserve has a dead god in it and that’s why it’s still closed.

[jerzwriter]

Thank you for the asks @maritzaldvr I feel like it's a homework assignment, lol. But that's OK - we writers like nothing more than going on and on about our crazy little characters - so thank you! ❤️

From this list.

1 - How would they handle a breakup?

Ooofh. How I hate even thinking of it - they're my forever couple. I think a breakup would be the hardest thing they'd ever have to go through - short of anything happening to one of their girls. They truly love each other, and that wouldn't stop, so there would have to be a very serious reason for the split. It's one of those "I'll love you forever, but we can't be together" events that are just brutally painful. If they didn't have children yet, I don't know if they'd keep in touch - it would be too painful. But they might because they're more open-minded and progressive than most, so they don't think a romantic relationship ending means you have to cut each other off for life. It would be difficult for them to move on and I think anyone else they'd be with in the future would have to understand, they'd never have their complete hearts.

I have written a few AU's with breakups, including Unblemished (which is a favorite of mine). They had a breakup in the AU series Friends* (another one of my favorites) and All in the Past. There are also two WIP AU's that I've really got to get back to, What's Forever For? and Where it Goes From Here. Also, I make no promises in the current AU Mono-Poly. I was going to say I need to write an AU break up - but apparently, I don't lol

13. How do they act when they’re stressed, and what are some things they do to relax?

More below...

It depends on the level of stress. In my HC, they both had a lot of therapy after the chemical attack, so they have learned how to handle a lot. Also, Tobias has a very laid-back attitude, which helps, especially since Casey is prone to anxiety. What do they do to reduce stress? 😏😏😏 Well.... lol You know. lol But in addition to that, I think they also make sure to get rest, exercise, and have frequent massages and pampering to help reduce stress.

But a BIG stressor is another issue - for example, Casey nearly dies after their third baby is born - and Tobias nearly falls apart. He does what he has to for his daughters, but he's hanging on by a string. Fortunately, he has a great group of people around him who help, but it's not pretty.

20. How do they react to getting hurt? Both in the sense of a small injury like a paper cut or a bigger injury.

I think they both blow off minor injuries; I can imagine they get a lot of smaller ones on the job, and they just keep going. I think they're pretty resolute when it comes to bigger injuries, too. They'd react as most people would, but they'd be anxious to fix it and move on - they've got things to do.

41. Are they messy or clean? How do they react to a mess?

I think they are both very neat and don't like it at all when things become messy. However, there is a caveat... Casey's morning routine leaves a big ol mess in the bathroom - make up, skin and hair care, products left all over. She cleans it as soon as she returns from work, but since she and Tobias are not always on the same shift - sometimes he's stuck with the mess and I don't think he loves it. lol That's probably a growing pain when they first live together. Also, with a cat and three daughters, they will have to become a little more accustomed to messes, but they still don't love them - and they will do their best to keep them minimal.

43. What are their eating habits?

Given that they are both doctors, they tend to watch what they eat and follow a healthy diet. That said, they know balance is key, and they indulge in foods they love, too.

47. What is one thing that they’re really good at?

Sex. I mean, sorry, but it's true! lol They're also excellent at communication.

49. How clingy are they? What do they act like?

They're very into PDA, but I don't think they're clingy. To me, clingy means they're at a party, and they can't leave each other's side. They're not like that. They love being together, but not in a toxic way. They'll go talk or interact in different groups, but they'll always be so happy to return to each other.

52. On an average day, what can be found in their pockets?

Hmm. At work? For both, I think you'd find hand sanitizer, lip balm, and maybe tissues. Casey likely has lotion and mints/gum. Tobias, a lollipop or two. I totally see him as having a thing for lollipops.

63. How important is personal hygiene to them? What do they smell like?

Very, very, very important. These two like things neat, they're into their appearances - they are almost always well groomed. Tobias often smells like Tom Ford's Oud Wood. If not, he sounds like his sandalwood body wash. Casey will smell like whatever Bath & Bodyworks scent is her favorite at the moment.

90. Do they drink alcohol? If so, what’s their favorite type of alcohol?

Yes, they do. They will often have a drink to wind down at the end of the night, but only some days. On the weekends, they definitely do some drinking. I imagine Tobias likes some high-end single malt whiskeys, and he has a wine cellar filled with everything from Casey's favorite (Bartenura Moscato) to very pricey vintages. They have beer in the fridge - likely a yummy craft beer - that they will drink during bar-b-ques or while watching sports.

Thanks so much for the asks! :)

[ncisfranchise-source]

NCIS: Origins Season 1, Episode 7 ‘One Flew Over’ is another very solid episode of the show, one that focuses on the Gibbs and Franks dynamics and gives us a glimpse into why Franks even brought someone as damaged as Gibbs into the team in the first place. The answer isn’t really surprising, Kyle Schmidt has been doing a great job at telegraphing the answer even when we didn’t know the details, but it’s still very satisfying to see.

That’s the thing NCIS: Origins has done so well. A lot of these stories we already know, at least we know the broad strokes of them. But it’s different to really see them come to life, particularly when this cast is so engaging and does such a great job at making you feel, not just about the plot, but about them.

Back when the show first started I said that this show was more interesting because it wasn’t just about Gibbs. I still stand by that, but I’ll now add this—the Gibbs of it all is pretty good, too.

TWO SIDES OF THE SAME COIN

NCIS: Origins Season 1, Episode 7 ‘One Flew Over’ showcases how Franks and Gibbs are two sides of the same coin. Franks understands Gibbs, and that’s why he has made every decision we’ve seen him make. Yes, part of it is that Franks is undoubtedly a better guy than he wants us to know he is and he sees Gibbs’ pain and empathizes, but another part is very clearly that he sees himself in Gibbs’ anger—and in the decisions he makes because of it.

Is it a surprise that Franks was the one to give Gibbs the information on the man who killed his wife and daughter? No. It isn’t. Just as I don’t really expect to drop the investigation into the man who raped Tish. That’s not just who Franks is, even if that’s exactly what Tish is asking of him. The problem in that situation, of course, is that Franks is making it about his own pain, instead of Tish’s. And that’s why it’s probably going to backfire on him.

Gibbs, on the other hand… well, he did what he did because he had nothing to lose. That he survived and lived to tell the tale, well… that was surely just icing on the cake.

DROPPED EVERYTHING TO PICK ME UP OFF THE FLOOR

When NCIS: Origins Season 1, Episode 7 ‘One Flew Over’ drops this line on us, at the end of the episode, it feels like Gibbs is talking about Franks. In many ways, Franks played an integral role in Gibbs getting out of the hole and becoming the person we will one day meet. But considering Gibbs himself told us “This is a story about her,” in reference to Lala, that line is probably about her too.

And we’re not there yet. We haven’t really seen it. But the show has given us multiple clues of the importance Lala will have on Gibbs’ life. That doesn’t mean it’s going to turn romantic, though there’s a vibe between them that makes it feel like it will. But it does mean that, sometimes, two broken people—even if they’re broken in very different ways—can come together and help each other find the missing piece they need not just to put one step in front of another and keep going but to finally truly heal.

In this case, we know that probably doesn’t mean there’s a happy ending waiting. We know too much of the future to believe in that. But we’ll settle for a happy now, especially if we get to live in it for a while.

Things I think I think

“I was supposed to be dead, but I wasn’t.”

He truly rented the shittiest place possible.

And his dad just… left?

Where were Randy and Lala going?

Ok the bird thing is kinda cute.

The flashbacks are killing me, man.

Is Franks gonna tell him where to find Pedro Hernandez?

Sometimes we get little glimpses of the man Franks is, like the fact that he won’t report this couple for having an extra person in the house.

“You two should have babies”? Randy is married, ma’am. He and Lala should not.

Mary Jo knows everything.

It’s always a big Black guy indeed.

The flashback is …why does Franks like Gibbs again?

Well, at least Gibbs is being honest with Franks.

Tish and Lala! I like this little moment, even if we don’t know what it’s about yet.

LOL at Franks not wanting to talk about his mistake in front of Lala.

Oh, Tish. I get you, I do. I also kinda get Franks. But I mostly get you.

And now I get why Franks sees himself in Gibbs.

Oh, so he already gave him the info. Interesting.

“The one person that saw I was broken, that saw I needed to be saved, and dropped everything to pick me up off the floor.”

This could be about Franks, but it feels like it ties to the “this is a story about her” thing from the first episode.

[deci-doodles]

So uh. More parents when they were younger, yay (Tartaglia edition this time)

Mother’s Oksana (did this one recently, she’s supposed to have a crown braid) and the dad’s Serhii (doodle from December oof)

Rambles under the cut as per usual

Aight SO:

Oksana Fedorivna Neschadymenko (Оксана Федорівна Нещадименко, née Kalashnyk/Калашник)

- actually p shy and introverted, can be p sensitive and sentimental at times too

- lived in Morepesok her whole life, her family settled there some time ago during its heyday

- she’s the middle child and has two brothers (an older one name Myroslav who’s moved to the city and has three daughters, and a younger one named Anatoliy who stayed and has five kids), her younger brother and her parents don’t live too far away from her and Serhii’s home

- nowadays she just wishes her kids would all come home more often since she worries about them so much and wants to make sure they’re ok

- she’s always been more on the stereotypically feminine side (being quite capable at the loom, embroidery, cooking, etc, I mean hell, she handmade nearly all the kids’ clothes before they started earning their own incomes*, probs still does even with Ajax’s harbinger money), when Kyrena was young she probably tried to encourage her to play with dolls more often than playing in trees, but that didn’t work and she was too soft when it heavily upset Kirena so she didn’t push it further

*keep in mind this would’ve been the necessity for a lot of peasants especially but idk how similar Snezhnaya is gonna be in terms of wealth disparity and stuff. Traditional dowries also consisted of rushnyky and embroidered shirts to show one’s prowess but regardless, Oksana enjoys spending her time at the loom and with her thread and needle

-

Serhii Mykhailovych Neschadymenko (Сергій Михайлович Нещадименко):

- is actually the extroverted one lmao

- was abandoned as a baby and raised in a Cossack monastery, but ultimately became an adventurer to find somewhere he felt he belonged. As a result he was extremely pious, but over the years has become more and more disillusioned with the Tsaritsa following the Ajax shenanigans

- came across Morepesok by accident, ended up courting Oksana and settling down there permanently

- Jack of all trades since he picked up various skills on his travels (he can fight with his twin shashka, sing, dance, play bandura, etc), but nowadays he’s mainly tending to his own garden and does beekeeping since his health isn’t as great as it used to be

- his basic view regarding his kids is that they’re free to choose their own paths and do as they please so he’s probably the more laidback parent in comparison, but he wants them to at least look out for one another

- his biggest regret is sending Ajax to the Fatui

-

I think both of them have accepted that they can’t change what happened but there’s still a lot of regrets over how they handled everything with Ajax (I won’t go into full details of that yet since uh, currently working on a fic ehe), that and there really isn’t much they can do now. Also like, I need to emphasise that they’re country folk from a small village in a fantasy world, there is a lot they probably wouldn’t understand compared to what we would know now lmao

But before all of that they’re basically that one couple who seemed to have a romance that came straight out of a fairytale and doted on their children. They could’ve continued what was basically a cottagecore dream too if Ajax didn’t end up wandering off

[runnning-outof-time]

[ ts imagines pt. 1 ]

MAIN MASTERLIST

Last Updated: link limit hit - go to PART 2 for newer stories

** ALL stories are written with a Fem!Reader! **

Want to be tagged? Let me know!

All works are my own - I do not give consent to the reposting of them in any form.

——— (listed oldest -> newest) ———

— My Fair Lady: Tommy’s given leave from his post in France, and comes home to the only person he wants to see.

— Keep Her Safe: (daughter!reader) (Y/N) Shelby has been through it all. The elaborate plans, the family fall-outs, the violence. This life was all she knew. So she's confused as to why her father, even after 17 years, still wants to keep her as sheltered as possible.

— Are You Ok?: It's that time of the month for (Y/N) and along with it comes the thing she hates most: stomach cramps. Thankfully, Tommy's there to ease the pain, like he always is. It doesn't matter where they are, or even if it's in the middle of an important meeting.

— Come Back to Us: The Shelby family needed to move back to Small Heath after they were served a black hand by the Italian mafia. Already feeling on edge, (Y/N) only becomes more worried when her husband tells her that he's going to be lured into a trap and would need to fight his way out. All she wants is for him to come back to his family when it's all over.

— The Charity Dinner: (Y/N)'s entire life almost gets ripped away from her while she's attending a charity dinner for the Shelby Foundation.

— You Made Them: Having children is hard to begin with. Having children with Shelby in their blood is even harder. (Y/N) shouldn't be surprised when her kids get out of hand, but it still takes them all on a rollercoaster of emotions.

— Respectable: (Y/N) keeps stumbling into someone she can't shake from her past. Their interactions are tense at first, but then he helps her, and their true feelings come to light.

— Now It’s Time to Rest: (Y/N) manages to pull Tommy back from his lowest point, convinces him that he needs to rest, and even manages to get him to fall asleep.

— Change of Heart: What started out as simple, innocent teasing and intrigue of a new woman in his sister's life has turned into something more, and it's now bringing up feelings that Tommy was sure he'd pushed so far away from him.

— Pressure: Mosely decides to use (Y/N) as leverage to get what he wants from Tommy. Seems like a well calculated plan, all accept (Y/N)'s been through this enough times now that it doesn't really bother her like it used to.

— War Paint: “That ain’t make up she’s got on, it’s war paint.” In which (Y/N) decides to give her cheating boyfriend a taste of his own medicine, and Tommy agrees to help out.

— Calm Me Down: Tommy has a way of calming (Y/N) down, regardless if he��s miles away or right in front of her.

— Back Off: (daugther!reader) (Y/N)'s none too happy when she finds out that her father's trying to run her personal life.

— Rock Bottom: Tommy's hit rock bottom. Because of John, because of the vendetta, because his family truly hasn't come back together even though they’re all living in Small Heath. But (Y/N)'s there to help him through it...and, of course, clean him up when he comes home after having been in a fight.

— The Reckoning: (ghost!reader) Tommy gets visited by the love of his life on multiple occasions. Each visit helps him to cope, but the last saves his life. With it, he's finally able to come to the reckoning that she's gone.

— When It’s Still: For the first time in what seems like forever, Tommy Shelby is out of cigarettes. It's in their absence that (Y/N) finds out one of the reasons why he always has one.

— Maybe I’ll Stay: It was expected that in coming back to Birmingham after living in Germany since the war, (Y/N) Jesus would be excited to see her younger brother and father again. What wasn't expected was that she'd meet the love of her life in that same city.

— A Night In: Upon arriving home from a business trip, Tommy has plans of taking his wife out for a nice dinner. Those plans get thwarted the second his daughter runs into his arms, and he decides that spending the night in would be better than anything else in the world.

— Meet...Cute?: Another lovely barmaid, another spy, right? At least that's what Tommy Shelby's thinking when he stumbles upon The Garrison's newest hire, and he lets his thoughts on that become very clear, very fast.

— All I Ever Asked: (Y/N) was happy with where she was with Tommy Shelby. All was going well until one day he showed up late. True feelings quickly came to light and she found that she couldn’t be caught in his grasp anymore.

— The Dance: In which Tommy and (Y/N) have, quite literally, built their life around a dance.

— Fell Into Place: (Y/N) met Tommy Shelby during the Great War. Their time together was brief, and they both thought that they’d never see the other again. Until one day, they do.

— Bridges Burn: (Y/N)'s had Tommy Shelby as a friend for the majority of her life. So when she starts seeing him in a different light, she first tries to hide from him. But then he shows up on her doorstep, and she decides that she wants to let all of her bridges burn.

— Best of Wives and Best of Women: All (Y/N) Shelby wants is to spend a lazy day in bed with her husband. But will said husband ever allow that? The answer might surprise you.

— The Beauty that Saved the Beast: All (Y/N) was trying to do in taking over as the chef's assistant at Arrow House was get her father out of his absurd contract. She wasn't aiming to thaw out the heart of the man who owned the sprawling estate, but that's exactly what she ended up doing.

— A Beauty Beyond Compare: She performs under the name Jolene. He became infatuated with Jolene. Is he interested in the alter ego or the woman behind it? (Y/N) finds this out the hard way.

— Called to Serve: In taking a job as a medic at her brother's 'bakery', (Y/N) never thought that she'd find someone that she'd be interested in. She also never thought that she'd be saving the life of that same person a few years down the road.

— I’ll Make It Right: He's from a different social class. She's promised to someone else. But they just can't seem to let each other go. It's up to Tommy to make it right for the two of them.

— The One Where They’re Up All Night: Between a five month old baby and a husband that's constantly working, (Y/N) can't remember the last time that she got a decent night's sleep. So she's thrilled when Tommy offers to help her one night. Although that night might not go as she planned it to.

— The Light: (royalty!AU) There's no possible way for a love between (Y/N) and Thomas Shelby to work out. She's the next in line for her family's throne. His family is the one that everyone's warned about. But it does…and he even goes as far as killing for her.

— Too Long: After trying nearly everything to get (Y/N) to notice his feelings for her, Tommy nearly blows up on the man trying to flirt with the woman he so desperately wants to call his. Does this make (Y/N) finally realize that Tommy's not only trying to be a friend in doing this?

— Love Again: A day out on a whim in Small Heath allows for two people to finally meet in person. Tommy finds himself standing right in front of the beautiful woman who he'd only known through words and in pictures. (Y/N) finds herself starting to love again.

— Right In Front of Him: Tommy Shelby threw himself into work after his family became deeply fractured from his own doing. (Y/N) is his new secretary, who's just been hired into the company and wants to make a good impression. This leads to Charlie making a solo trip to Small Heath and Tommy realizing that he may not be able to win the fight with his feelings this time.

— In the Time of Need: Both Tommy and (Y/N) have been through the hell of losing the person they cared deeply for. They meet and find themselves married to each other in order to settle a debt left behind in the span of a week. What starts off as a rocky union eventually turns into something beautiful thanks to a tree and the help of their kids.

— The Hard Truth: He wants her, but she wants out. After the death of her husband, John, (Y/N) can't bear to be tied up into the lifestyle she’d been living in for a minute longer. Things become complicated though when another man who holds the last name Shelby tells her how he really feels about her.

— Not Going Anywhere: (Y/N)'s hired onto the staff at Arrow House in the weeks following the death of the estate's matriarch, Grace Shelby. What she didn't know upon accepting the position was that she would have an effect on not only the two year old boy in the home, but his father as well.

— Making Up For Lost Time: Tommy and (Y/N) were together before the war. They broke things off when he went to fight, but a few years later, they met again. This time, Tommy's engaged in a different kind of war. (Y/N) has no intention of leaving his side now.

— Where Do We Go From Here?: If Tommy Shelby thought he could win over (Y/N)'s heart after being the reason she got sent to prison just because he got her out early, he was dead wrong...or was he?

— I’m Here: (Y/N) met Tommy at his lowest point, both mentally and physically. She quickly becomes a rock in his life and he gets stronger because of her. And when another major event brings him to his lowest again, he finds solace in knowing that she's still there for him.

— Redemption: When a woman comes to the Shelby brothers seeking help, Tommy first finds intrigue in her story. Then he finds himself needing to make sure that she stays safe.

— Special Spots: (Y/N) decides to take Tommy to different places around Small Heath that are special to the two of them. And when she creates yet another special spot, she finds out that Tommy was in the process of creating one of his own.

— Enough Is Enough: A gruesome killing in the kitchen of their family home makes both (Y/N) and Tommy realize that they need to put their current lives behind them...for the sake of their children.

— Who Did This To You?: (Y/N) gets a little more than she bargained for when she tries to find out some information for herself, which sends Tommy into overdrive.

— I Meant No Harm: After being arranged to marry Tommy Shelby so that his dealings with Section D can get back on track, (Y/N) finds herself in a desolate place. A place that is only brightened by the two year old boy Tommy has.

— Roadside Daisies: Flowers play a big part in Tommy and (Y/N)’s relationship.

— More Than Material: (Y/N) tries to get Tommy to understand that she doesn't need so many material things, and that instead she needs him. Tommy doesn't quite know how to take that.

— Be With Me: (Y/N) stumbles upon the man she used to call 'hers'. She's happy to see him, of course, but she quickly finds out that he's engaged to another woman. This doesn't stop her from trying to rekindle what they once had. Does he play along with her or put his foot down?

— Yet You’re Still Here: An unexpected visitor late at night has pulls (Y/N) into Tommy Shelby's world in a way she never imagined.

— Devotion: (Y/N)’s by Tommy’s side from the beginning, and she has every intention of staying by his side for as long as she can.

— An Anchor to the Past: Just when (Y/N) and Tommy think they're in a comfortable place, a person from his past comes back and stirs everything up.

— Research: Tommy enlists a librarian named (Y/N) to help him with research on his latest opponents.

— A Day At the Races: Tommy decides to spend a day at the races and meets a woman who reminds him of who he used to be.

— A Getaway: Tommy and (Y/N) decide to spend a few days away from the Small Heath smoke. (pre-war)

— ‘Til Summer Comes Around: Summer in Small Heath was Tommy's favorite season, mostly because it was when the woman he was in love with came around.

— Not Just Some Backup Plan: When Grace leaves Small Heath, Tommy turns back to the person who's been around since the beginning.

— Love, I Just Need to See: In which Tommy needs glasses and (Y/N) has an opinion about every type of frame that's offered.

— For Show...?: In her attempts to fit in, (Y/N) convinces her friend group that she's got a boyfriend who will be joining her to her friend's wedding. The problem is that she has no such thing. Luckily, she's friends with Ada Thorne...who has a brother that fits the ticket for being said 'boyfriend'.

— I Did It Myself: (Y/N) has to take matters into her own hands after she gets taken by Luca Changretta.

— After All this Time: (daughter!reader) Sometimes there's no forgetting what's been done in the past.

— Jealous: Tommy's not too fond of seeing one of his men trying to make a move on the woman he's taken an interest in. (Y/N)'s not too fond of people acting jealous.

— We’ll Still Love You: Tommy and (Y/N)'s youngest child has a hard time accepting the fact that she won't be the baby in the family anymore.

— Keep Me Close: As a maid at Arrow House, (Y/N) has many tasks that she has to complete. She never thought that one of those tasks would be to calm Charles Shelby down after he's had a bad dream. Nor did she expect to catch the attention of her boss because of how she completed that task.

— Some Time Away: (Y/N) manages to convince her partner to take the weekend off from work…the only kicker is that they can’t go anywhere because they’re currently in the midst of a global pandemic. But she still has some ideas in mind. (Modern AU)

— To Forget the Pain: During a party at Arrow House, Tommy finds a woman inside a room that nobody's allowed in.

— Within the Halls: What started off as a fairytale ended up being a nightmare.

— The Line: (Y/N) does something she thought she'd never do in her entire life.

— As Good A Place As Any: (Y/N) finds the perfect time to share some news she's been keeping secret for some time now.

— A Loving Hand and Some Warm Tea: When (Y/N)'s illness turns from bad to worse, she's thankful that she's got Tommy there to help her get through it...even when, in the first place, he was worried about it and she wasn't.

— A Lazy Day: Tommy comes home to find (Y/N) and Charlie spending some time together in the backyard. Instead of going right to his office, he decides to join in. (Modern AU)

— The Boiling Point: (Y/N) has denied her feelings for Tommy to the point where she can't anymore. Will admitting them lead to good? Or will it blow up in her face? Does she know that Tommy feels the same about her?

— A Moment of Respite: Tommy has a dream of the woman he met in France.

— Don’t Turn Into Them: Tensions escalate when (Y/N)'s worry of Tommy becoming something he's not gets miscommunicated and blown out of proportions.

— Merry & Bright: (Y/N) still gets her wish of having a white Christmas, even if it came down to the last possible.

— The Art of Christmas: (Y/N) asks Tommy to go on a walk with her so that she can collect fir branches and get their house ready for the holidays. (Modern AU)

— Right Person, Wrong Time: Three times where Tommy and (Y/N) tried to express their feelings for each other only to find out that it was the wrong time, and the one time, the right time, that they did.

— The Good I’ll Do: Tommy and (Y/N) finally step over the line after the celebration of the legal betting license that was given to the family.

— Weather the Storm: Tommy and (Y/N) spend some time together after a monumental storm leaves them with no choice but to abandon their original plans.

— The Same Situation: Tommy's so worried about Freddie Thorne being with his sister, Ada, that he doesn't even realize that he himself is in just about the same situation with Freddie's sister, (Y/N). What happens when Freddie finds out that the same thing is happening on the flip side of it all?

— Busted By the Bird: (Y/N) invites Tommy over to her flat after a night out. There, Tommy finds out some interesting things about the woman he's interested in. (Modern AU)

— Like Real People Do: Tommy and (Y/N) run into each other again in the most peculiar of places, and instead of letting their secrets come to light, they decide that they'll just forget that all and find comfort in each other.

— Cyril Needed A Friend: Tommy comes home from business to find that his family grew by one while he was away.

— “Darling”: Tommy and (Y/N) have a lot of explaining to do to the rest of the family when Tommy lets a term of endearment he doesn't normally use slip one night at the Garrison.

— Mutually Invested: Tommy finds out something he did not know about (Y/N) (Y/L/N) after it comes down to a life or death situation. Both realize that sometimes it's best to choose your investments wisely.

— The Silver Lining: (daughter!reader) (Y/N) Shelby's always been the 'forgotten one' in her family, but there may just be a silver lining in all of her suffering.

— A Not So Secret: Tommy and (Y/N) think that they're in the clear to spend a quiet Valentine's Day together, but little do they know that their secret may not stay one for long.

— Tied To You: During a laid back Valentine's Day together, Tommy lets (Y/N) know how much she means to him and that he'll be by her side forever. (Modern AU)

— Better Than the Dream: After meeting in France, (Y/N) (Y/L/N) and Tommy Shelby were certain that they'd never see each other again...until one fateful moment has Tommy dreaming of her, or maybe he's not dreaming at all.

— What Do You Regret?: Tommy and (Y/N) talk about some regrets in life over a drink and a quiet moment at the Garrison. When (Y/N) suddenly brings up the topic of 'them’, she gets a pretty interesting response.

— Helpless: (Y/N) falls for a charming soldier at one of her family's parties. From the second her eyes fall on him, she's helplessly in love. (Wartime)

— Escaping the Ashes: (Y/N) reflects on her time spent in the limelight. Although she left it all behind, she can't say she regrets stepping into it; for it brought her the one thing she loves the most. (Modern AU)

— Dancing With the Devil: Tommy Shelby arrives in London with one plan in mind, but quickly stumbles upon another when he meets (Y/N). After finding common ground, he makes the decision on which way to go in a rather unique fashion. A decision that leaves one person rather pleased and the other rather pissed.

— This Storm Will Also Pass: Tommy manages to calm down (Y/N) after he finds her hiding and riddled with anxiety during a late autumn thunderstorm.

— Free the Slave: (Y/N) becomes blinded by opportunity when mysterious preacher, Thomas Shelby, comes into her town that she doesn't see the bigger picture of what's going on at first. But when she’s shown it, she becomes even more intrigued. (AU)

— Where the Sky Opens Up to Everything: Tommy and (Y/N) get away from the smoke and the dirt of Small Heath, where Tommy is finally able to clear his mind for a moment. (prewar)

— Twice As Much: (Y/N) shares her thoughts on Tommy's decision to go into business with the Russians.

— My Favorite Story: Tommy finds himself spending time in his office for other reasons once he finds out (Y/N)'s interest in the room.

— PART 2 of the IMAGINES MASTERLIST

———

Divider by @firefly-graphics

[timmymyluv]

delayed flight

Timothee Chalamet x Reader

genre: fluff, very brief angst if you squint

Summary: a very late mother's Day celebration based on an old tumblr post years ago on a daughter annually having lunch with her dad but missing because she was sick

her friends go in their stead and become very close to the dad too, jokingly saying they had fun without them and it became a tradition.

basically timothee is stranded in an airport and missing the annual chalamet dinner. You've been to more than you count but always with him by your side and it's your first time alone.

you feel closer than ever to your family, like one of their own and you're so thankful that you not only have the love of your life, but another family who treats you like no other.

“I don’t think I can make it for dinner. They keep canceling or rescheduling my damn flights back home!”

You hear Timothee’s garbled voice on speaker phone as you sat on the counter in your shared kitchen, head in hands as your long-standing plans are crumbling by the minute.

“When’s the earliest you can get home, bubs?” You ask, still hopeful.

He groans. “The weather is absolute shit. They said the earliest they can get me home is tomorrow afternoon.”

Your heart breaks at the prospect of Timmy, sleep deprived from a long day of meetings, memorizing scripts, interviews and living off a suitcase has to sleep overnight at the airport when he should be home, warm in your bed and cuddled against your skin instead.

Yet he fights tooth and nail that you still go to the annual Chalamet family dinner that has become part of your routine recently. Fairly soon into your relationship and shortly after he had introduced you to them as his significant other, they had warmly welcomed you and even added you to their family group chat, included into every plan.

Biting your nails frantically, you nearly panicked at the thought of being alone with his family without him present. You knew they were as sweet as pie, as friendly and affectionate to you as their own flesh and blood, but the mere thought of being there without Timothee at your side made you apprehend whether you were ready for, what seemed to be, a next step in your relationship.

“Baby, I can already see you biting your nails. Stop that. Listen, I know you’ve always seen them with me, but don’t feel like you have to miss out on annual dinner just because I’m not there. I won’t force you, but if you want to go to dinner as always, even if I’m not physically present, you can do that. Alright?” He knew, he knows, he always does. He knows you like second nature, like you’re a part of him.

“Are you sure?” You can’t help but want to ask one more time, hear it from him again, already fully dressed in something more dressy than your casual loungewear. Was your makeup too thick? Trying too hard? Too similar or different from what you wore last dinner?

“Yes, mon amour. You don’t have to if you don’t feel like it, but they’re looking forward to seeing you if you do. Ok? I love you, my sunshine.”

Looking back one more time, you affirm to yourself in front of the mirror before grabbing your belongings, your handbags and putting your heels on to drive to the Chalamet apartment.

Timothee messages the group chat on your behalf, one step ahead. “Sorry my flight has been cancelled so I can’t make it until tomorrow morning. Y/N will still be coming to the fam dinner as planned :) ”

…

As you approach the driveway towards the Chalamet apartment building, you feel bile rise up in your throat as it slowly creeps into your awareness that you’re about to have dinner with his family - alone. You shake it off, finding it silly you feel like you’re an animal up for slaughter, when the family has been nothing but kind to you.

You reach the top of the staircase towards the intercom and gather all your courage to press the number combination that’ll lead to their flat. It rings for a few intervals, before its picked up by a chirpy Pauline.

“Chalamet household - it’s Y/N”

“Come on in, Y/N!” A beep allows the door to open for you to enter the building, and you smile to yourself how you can hear how excited she genuinely sounded when she recognized your voice.

After taking the elevator to their floor, you find comfort in the silence other than your shoes brushing against the lush carpet as you make their way to the apartment. Taking a breath before you ring the doorbell, you are unable to utter a single word before the wooden door swings open inwards and a jubilant Pauline rushes towards you with a tight hug.

“Y/N!!! We were hoping you’d show up as always tonight!”

Marc and Nicole make their way towards you as Pauline ushers you inside to shut the door from any prying neighbours.

“I’m sorry Tim couldn’t make it tonight, it’s just me for today. He really wanted me to go even while he was gone.” You say apologetically as you take your coat off and hang it up the rails.

Nicole reaches you first with a bright smile and opens her arms wide open for an eager, motherly embrace, not without two kisses on each cheek as the French do. This is a French household too, after all - no matter how New York was in their veins.

“Don’t be sorry darling - we always love having you over! Without him or not.”

Marc snickers with a fatherly yet teasing smile before he does his en bisou to you and a loving hug. “It’s rare we don’t see him stuck to the hip with you anyway. Always love having you over.” With a gentle pat on the cheek, you beamed at the hospitality the family showed you.

You gradually made your way through the apartment, rubbing your arms to warm up from the cool outside as you made your way past the familiar array of collages carefully maintained by the proud parents of their children’s careers and accomplishments.

As you made your way towards the kitchen, recognizing the appetizing scent of the viandes baking in the oven, you stood beside Nicole and offered to help.

“Is there anything I can do to help, Nicole?” It felt odd calling her by her first name like she insisted you could, always referring to her as Mrs. Chalamet especially with Tim by your side, but you didn’t bite your tongue this time as it felt right.

There’s a glint in her eyes that reminds you of her son.“ You are not here to be our help, you are a welcomed guest. Go, shoo! The food will be ready soon anyway.” Ushering you towards the living room tenderly, you hesitantly try to offer one more time before you wake your way on the couch next to Pauline.

Circling her arm around your shoulder in the most natural, sisterly way as she should, Pauline rests her head against your arm, nuzzling her nose the exact same way her little brother would.

“Missed you so much, Y/N. How have you been?”

The smile on your face couldn't be even wider throughout the night, you thought your face would fall off due to how hard you'd laugh and smile as they would crack jokes between meals and sips of red wine from the fridge.

As Nicole brought out her homemade blueberry cheesecake from the fridge, Marc propped up his phone on a stand to FaceTime Timothee who was currently stranded in the airport.

You've picked up French here and there, but we're grateful it was sparsely used while you were around so you weren't excluded or lost to fend and translate for yourself.

"We're having fun without you Tim! Y/N is ours now!" Pauline teases.

"Hey! What about me!?"

Timothee even miles away with his memory foam neck pillow and grey blanket in some stranded airport felt a warmth, a serene, comfortable joy, a comforting peace that Y/N fit into the family like a missing puzzle piece.

"Next week, me, Pauline and Y/N are going shopping together." Nicole chirps excitedly, grasping your arm kindly.

"How about dad and I?" Tim's wifi was starting to cut off, lagging a few seconds as his figure became blurry on the screen here and there.

"Girls night only!"

[heckinconfusedparade]

A Very Wachowski New Year

For 10 years Sonic witnessed New Years celebrations from afar. Large parties, drinking, kids running around with sparklers, and couples sharing a kiss as the clock strikes 12.

For 10 years Sonic longed to be able to one day attend a party like that.. mainly the sparklers bit. Maybe one day he will try a drink, but kissing? Not on his to do list.

This year Sonic finally gets to attend a party. Rachel and Jojo came over from San Francisco to spend the New Years with them.

Tom and Maddie set up the food and refreshments, and the boys are in charge of setting up entertainment and decor.

Tails got the opportunity to create fireworks that wouldn’t endanger the forest and wildlife around them. He manages to create safe fireworks and is super proud of himself. It’s so safe you could stick your hand in the embers of light and not feel a thing.

Knuckles is a perfectionist, making sure all the decorations are perfect. He keeps sending Sonic to adjust things that aren’t straight.

Sonic is in charge of music. He also set up his disco ball. He had to run the playlist by his parents a few times. Most songs were approved.

When Rachel and Jojo arrive, the cousins immediately run up to the attic to play. The adults chat with some glasses of wine.

Up in the attic, there is already a battle. Pillows are being thrown and whacked against each other. Knuckles is trying his best to not get carried away and send someone flying. He does accidentally send Sonic through the open window. Sonic faceplants the ground. He’s ok! He’s going right back up for revenge.

“YOU SENT ME OUT THE WINDOW” Sonic yells, dual wielding pillows rapidly hitting the echidna. The chaos energy ramps up, and now the two are battling with pillows and chaos energy.

Tails and Jojo value their lives so they’re just having a pillow fight with the two of them. Unfortunately, a hard hit from a rouge pillow sends Tails to the floor, bonking his little nose. It’s like time stops. He’s not too bothered, but everyone else is.

Jojo tries not to panic as she gets him some tissues to catch his very small minor nosebleed. Sonic and Knuckles are losing their MINDS, blaming themselves for the fate of their little brother. They’re holding him, comforting him, even though Tails really doesn’t care. It doesn’t even hurt! He’s got very high pain tolerance.

They decide to result to something less violent. A game of Monopoly.

Unfortunately that game is famous for destroying friendships and breaking up families, so they’re all at each other’s throats. Tails was the banker, but he keeps being accused of cheating, which he is… most certainly not! He is a good boy.

The kids are called downstairs for the last minute count down.

Tom and Maddie share a nice loving kiss that lasts a little before and after midnight. So they can spend the end of 2022 and the beginning of 2023 sharing their love for one another. Rachel hugs her daughter and kisses her on the head. The boys cheer as loud as they can, giving each other high fives and some hugs. Then they’re sweeped into their parents arms for hugs and kisses on their furry little heads. Even Ozzie gets some smoochies.

The kids are released outside. Tails sets off the fireworks and the sparklers are lighted. The kids run around with them, oh so joyful.

Tom wraps his arm around Maddie.. so much has changed in the past year and a half. They went from a family of 2, to a family of 3, to a family of 5. And they couldn’t be more grateful for that. They can’t wait to see what the future holds.

[inkedmyths]

S1: E12 "Faith"

Brought to you by Crepe bribing me with Flight Rising money

[ Kayla asks if it was worth it to sell your soul to capitalism. Crepe said yes. I agree. I may have to endure on but now I have more money for my dragons. This will, unfortunately, always work on me. ]

Cuz you gotta have faith-uh faith-uh faith-uh

Oh we're starting out with the Winchesters? No mysterious deatb if some random person?

[ Kayla interjects with Carry On My Wayward Son. I get flashbacks to playing it on repeat when I initially began this journey. ]

Oooough closeeeet Dean I'm sure you're scared of that

[ Kayla asks Crepe if Dean does any homoeroticism in S1 aside from being too happy about getting pinned to a car. Crepe says no. This does not matter to me, I will make the joke anyways. ]

There are children! Hello children!

Ew what is that

UH Dean buddy that canNOT be healthy

HOSPITAL

HEART ATTACK???

Hi Dean! You look like shit!

:(

Dean you are too chill with your mortality but also Sam is WAY too not chill about it

JOHN WINCHESTER PICK UP YOUR FUCKING PHONE. BITCH

Sam. Sam no

I mean I know Dean is still sround for however many fucking seasons but

DEAN DID YOU BREAK OUT OF THE HOSPITAL. MORON

Why are you both stupid

[ Kayla says this is the parentified child vs child he parentified effect. Which. Yeah fair. ]

Dean: Sam what kinda crazy religion place are you bringing me to

DEAN STOP FLIRTING WITH EVERY LADY YOU MEET. DUMBASS BITCH

[ Kayla says that he's a whore and to leave him alone. That the sluttiest thing a man can do is be an older brother. Kayla is this some kind of kink for you. ]

GOD NO I DIDN'T EVEN GO TO ONE OF THESE KINDS OF CHURCHES BUT. HRGH. HORRIBLE. I want to leave

LMAO CALLED OUT DEAN

LAUGHING im sorry watching Dean get throwm on the spot. Poor dumbass

Go up Dean this is your personal hell now

[ Crepe says no, wrong season. Lovely. ]

Dean having that face that I feel so deeply in my soul whenever someone tries to preacg Christianity to me

FUCKING. HAND AGAINST HIS HEAD poor Dean's face shshshs

UHHH WHAT WAS THAT. WHAT WAS THAT FIGURE

Oh. Oh my god it traded his life for his

O h n o

This is interesting and good but its also so fucking spooky the vibes

Ohhhh something. Something wanted Dean to live.

[ Kayla and Crepe go back and forth about how Supernatural is technically a horror show, though this is dropped somewhat in later seasons. What the fuck did I get myself into. ]

What the fuck is up w/Layla (Leilah?)

Oh :( poor girl

And Dean was the one who got healed so he's :((

"Why do you deserve to live more than my daughter?" man

Dean's like 😟

Chick in the woods? Girl whats up?

Girl is abt to die for this old guy

A REAPER?

The music shdhdhdhsh

Thats pretty banger ngl. Whats this song anywas.... Death In The Valley?

NOT ME LOOKING IT UP ON SPOTIFY AND GETTING A PLAYLIST FOR SPN SOUNDTRACK?

DOG LEASH ON A GREAT WHITE

SCREAMS the guy handing out pamphlets "Roy is a fraud"

Dean: Amen brother

Sam: You keep up the good work!

Man: Thank you

God its so interesting storywise but also the vibes are Upsetting

Sam committing breaking and entering all by himself good for him

IS THE CHURCH GUY MURDERING PEOPLE HE DOESN'T LIKE BY SAVING OTHERS

HE IS. HOMOPHOBIC! LITERALLY

GOOOOOD SHIT FUCK nooo i dont wanna watch anymore I don't like confrontation and oough BAD VIBES

Im turning on captions hold on

LAYLA I KNEW IT

Noooooooooooo besties I Cannot

Guys this is UPSETTING

I keep pausing 😭

I'm like stop starting bc I would rather read than hear WHASGSFAFAF

[ Crepe is grinding in Coliseum on Flight Rising to pay me more so I watch more. I can't tell if I'm genius for this or not. ]

Oh the poor guy screaming and Sam being like WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT

Oh I stopped started so much Netflix crashed LMAO

Hrrrgh yeah yeah ok compelling but I want to crawl up a tree

Oh shes still praying

AH YES DEAN GETS TAKEN AWAY. ARRESTED. AGAIN

Ohhh its his wife.... his wife couldn't stand to lose him.... oh.......

"God save us from half the people who think they're doing God's work." hey who gave this show the right

[ Kayla says "Remember when I told you this show was sometimes really good?" I tell her to fuck off. She says I'm only proving her point. I call her a bitch. This has no effect. ]

SAM BESTIE U DID IT TO SAVE DEAN CAN U NOT UNDERSTAND THE CONFLICT HERE

LMAO DEAN JUST YELLS AT THE COPS AND THEY CHASE HIM THATS SO FUNNY

A+ plan buddy

Godddd the vibes are so ick and tragic but man

MAN I LOVE WHEN THINGS TAKE CHRISTIANS AND MAKE THEM FUCKED UP

Dean buddy get ready to run again

"The Lord chose me" NO IT FUCKIN DIDN'T

Sams gonna like smack her huh

Oh that Reaper did NOT like being bound

Something something metaphor for controlling death

Winchester Patented Guilt Complex

Oh she still has faith even when she's got a bad diagnosis :(

GODDAMMIT NO DONT

; - ;

So like Dean Winchester Aetheist Extraordinaire saying "I'm not much of a praying type... but I'll pray for you" is something that can be so personal actually

Don't. Don't touch me go away

Fuck you guys for making me watch this show I'm tearing up I hate you all

-

In conclusion: OKAY DEAN WINCHESTER LIKERS MAYBE I GET IT. But also fuck off fuck all of you I hate it here goddamn you AUGH I WASNT EXPECTING TO TEAR UP OVER THIS FUCK YOOOOOOOU

[korasonata]

I had someone last time ask me about time stamps, so all of these from this point out will have the time stamp at the top of each set of quotes. I am currently in the process of retrieving the time stamps for the previous 5 posts, and will link an updated version when I have retrieved them all.

Link to the video is here: https://m.twitch.tv/videos/1149389841

Favourite moments of Joe and Cleo model streams part 6!

(I am very sorry I tried very hard to make this not as long as it is. There will probably be another extended cut post because there was just SO much happening in this stream)

—

00:00:57

Cleo: Welcome to the stream. Mine and/or Joes. Or, both.

Joe: Yay!

Cleo: I suppose that’s what the “and” means. In that statement. That would make sense. Glue pot’s ready—

Joe: It makes sense to me.

Cleo: …that makes me even more nervous that it makes sense to you, Joe. Not gonna lie.

—

00:16:34

Joe: So, anyway, last night at dinner, uh, like I— I had put this interview on while I was cooking and I kinda left it on as my daughter sat down for dinner and I was like “hey, this is an interview with this very famous journalist from about 50 years ago. Uh, he’s got a really interesting voice and a really interesting cadence, and I wanna kind of listen to it so I can— maybe copy it as like a joke in one of my videos.” And my daughter listens to it for about a— a minute—

Cleo: And then says “now that’s— is that you?”

Joe: *laughing* She just turns to me and she’s like “my friend…her parents got her…did you know they make crayon applesauce now? It says crayola. It tastes. Like they’ve blended a brown crayon. And sprinkled it on top.”

Cleo: That sounds grim.

Joe (prideful laughing): And it just kind of matches the cadence while also talking about something terrible to ingest?*laughing* And I just start cracking up because like— *laughing continues* she gets it! And she’s just like “why are you laughing?” Because you just— you nailed it! You nailed the pauses, you— you nailed the subject matter, like this is— this is just great!! And she’s like “no! This is a real thing! This crayon applesauce is terrible!” And I’m just laughing and laughing and she’s like trying to explain why it’s not good, and I’m like “I understand why it’s not good, but—“

Cleo (reading chat): “Joe’s daughter is awesome.” I think you’re probably correct. Joe’s daughter is indeed awesome.

Joe: Yeah, I’m very very happy with my daughter. (Reading chat) What was for dinner? Well not crayola applesauce!

—

Cleo (in response to someone complimenting her 3rd Life videos): Awe! Thank you joytobake, that’s really nice! I am…always pleased when people like my personality. Because I’m never sure that people should, you know?

Joe: Yeah, that’s— that’s what we were talking about— I think before we started streaming, was like, Cleo really gets me, and that’s a huge red flag.

Cleo: That’s a— yeah. As a human being. Understanding Joe - massive red flag. Huge. This is a danger. To everybody. And particularly Joe.

Joe: It’s the terror of being truly known.

—

00:47:08

Joe: Up until this point I didn’t show the instructions, but now I feel like I have to.

Cleo: Because otherwise people are going to judge your competency?

Joe: Yeah! They’re gonna go “ok. Any idiot can figure out how these pieces go together” but if you look at these instructions, that’s not true. I’m a spectacular idiot, and I have no idea what I’m doing with these.

Cleo: I mean. I want— I want to confirm. Yes. Spectacular.

Joe: Yes. Thank you Cleo.

Cleo: *snicker* You’re welcome Joe. I always like to insult the people I care about the most.

Joe (quietly): I know…I appreciate it.

Cleo (Watching chat): I’m waiting for Cam to confirm that.

(Cam in chat: She insults me SO MUCH, she called me a gibbon last night…)

—

00:59:42

Joe: *reading tips*

Cleo (reading chat): “you can’t stop Joe when he’s on a role.” This is true.

Joe (not paying attention): *still reading tips*

Cleo: I mean you can, you just have to go: Joe. Joe. JOE. And then he stops sometimes.

Joe (quietly, but with emphasis): WHAAAAAAAAAAT??!?

Cleo: I’M DOING A THING!

—

01:00:46

Joe (reading tips): “This is an encouragement donation for more of you singing in the future.” Ooo, I think Cleo would like that because the future is not now.

—

01:02:23

Cleo (genuine singing): Ground control to major Tom…

Joe: *listening in awe*

Cleo: …That’s…pretty much all I know…

Joe: Oh, I was gonna let you keep going, I— I wanted to hear more.

Cleo: Oh no. That’s pretty much all I know.

Joe: But yeah. Hypothermic haddoc writes (singing) “tell my wife I love her very much!” …I was waiting for you to jump in with the (singing) “she knoooooows!”

Cleo: Again. Again, I don’t know the song very well.

Joe: Oh. And here I am sitting in my tin can—

—

01:47:54

Cleo: *leaves to get a drink*

Joe: While you’re getting your drink I guess I’ll provide some musical entertainment.

SILENCE

Joe: …I don’t have anything prepared. So, let’s see…do we have any birthdays? *laughing* if it’s anybody’s birthday I’ll sing to you while Cleo’s gone.

Cleo: I’m back.

Joe: Oh ok. Well, sorry birthday boys. And girls.

Cleo: feel free to sing to people. I’m sure people want that.

Joe: no…well, I was gonna do it while you were away cause I need to get up and get my drink as soon as you’re back.

Cleo: Oh, go and get a drink and I will sing happy birthday—

Joe: So I’m gonna go get my drink, I’ll be right back.

Cleo: —to people who have chosen to spend their birthday…here…I’m not judging, uh, but— (upbeat singing) Happy Birthday to you! You smell like a zoo! (Talking) …uh, etcetera etcetera… (Singing) I forgot how this song goes! Nevermind it sucks to be you! *blows a raspberry*

—

01:49:09

Cleo: I mean it’s Cams birthday on Saturday, and I will sing to Cam on his birthday. His birthday is not today. I mean he probably wants me to not sing to him on his birthday, to be fair—

[Cam: Please don’t sing to me]

Cleo: —but you know, I might do it anyway. Cause it’s obnoxious. And I will laugh. (Reading chat) “Happy Birthday! Here’s some genocide! Please don’t sing to me…” *laughing* I won’t sing to you if you don’t want me to, Honey.

[Cam: Not happy birthday at least lol]

Cleo: I might torture you in other ways though.

—

01:50:55

Cleo: Hiiiiii Jooooooe.

Joe: Hello! Joe Hiws hewe! I am back fwom my dwink bweak!

Cleo: …what is that voice?

Joe (in a Kermit the Frog/Swedish Chef/Yoda hybrid of an accent): I feewl wike it’s fwom home star wunner or something, I don’t know! It’s almost Kermit THe Fwog Hewe, but not quITe!

*Cleo laughing*

It’s a little— (Normal voice) I dunno. I still had some of my drink in my throat, so I was like— I didn’t wanna like accidentally cough it out on the microphone as soon as I started talking. So I was just like (weird voice continues) I’ll do thIS vOIce

*Squealing giggling from Cleo*

(Same iteration of previous accent now blended somehow with the voice of Goofy from Micky Mouse) It’ll keep my mOUth in a shape that if I start— me coughing up a dwink it’ll just go into the chEEks on EIther sIde. It’s a natuwal, uh bARRier against, uh, hydration escapism! Uh yuh!!

Cleo: *giggles* Ok Joe. Ok.

Joe: *high pitched laughing* I don’t know Cleo! I’m just gonna keep making noises until people give me money! It’s jus— it’s how I pay rent.

Cleo: *laughing* Making noises until people give you— ahhhh…..

Joe: Yeah

Cleo: — actually…..yeah. Yeah. Yeah…Um (reading chat) “it’s drunk Kermit” *wheezing*

Joe (drunk Kermit The Frog voice): It’s 5:00 somewhere!

Cleo: *laughing* thanks for this. I needed— I needed this moment of— of— whatever this was.

—

01:53:54

Joe: So my daughter said the most Wednesday Adams thing to me the other day—

Cleo: Oh no

Joe: Except she didn’t do the deadpan delivery. She was very upbeat about this. So apparently “UP” has, on Dinsey+ a series of shorts about the old man and the dog. Right? And they’re called something like “a Dougs Life” cause Doug is the name of the dog

Cleo: yeah.

Joe: and she goes “oh! And it’s short! Like a dogs lifespan!”

SILENCE

Cleo: …Your…kid is very much your kid, you know that right?

Joe (proud dad): I know right?!

—

01:58:20

Cleo: I mean…you’d kill it at the Met Galla. Not gonna lie.

Joe (excited): Oh my god— I wanna get one of those Manuel suits that has like all the rhinestones and the flowers on it? Um, but, you know, like, those are very expensive.

Cleo: We live with what we can afford. Maybe someone can make you a Diamond encrusted suit that you can wear on camera. And have all the sparkles as green.

Joe (very excited): Oh my gosh— actually— so—

02:20:45

Joe: Meanwhile in my Discord everyone’s posting what they describe as “eye searingly beautiful” lime green wedding dresses. For my next wedding. Um—

Cleo: *snicker* is that what you’re wearing for your next wedding?

Joe: you know, honestly at this point I don’t wanna make any assumptions about anything.

Cleo: *cackling*

—

02:31:07

(This is context for the next one)

Cleo (reading chat): “some people have too much time on their hands” I mean, I personally would not drive 8 hours to see— um…

Joe: …me?

Cleo: I dunno, I might drive 8 hours to see you.

Joe: I offered to drive 8 hours to see you when you were coming to Disney and you said no, so I’m gonna assume that you would not drive 8 hours to see me.

Cleo: I mean, I— li— the key word there was “might”. I wou— I would have to have my mini frea— well I was freaked out at that point. When you offered, and and I was just like “oh god no.” Because, you know, social anxiety is a thing.

Joe: Mhm. I’ve heard of that.

Cleo: Yeah. And I do not do well particularly meeting people for the first time, even people I’ve known for a while. I go very very quiet and umm…I think it’s worse actually with people that I’ve known for a while? Um, online, um…because— cause my brain goes “well you’re gonna make a s—your, your— your going to do something and say something stupid. You going— they’re gonna hate you in real life” um…so, yeah. My brain absolutely freaked out at that moment.

—

02:34:12

Cleo: But, you know, like I say, I get hate mail on the regular, it’s fine. I mean part of that is daring to be a woman on the Internet, but only part. The other part is the fact that I’m also an awful human being. So, you know.

SILENCE

Cleo: …the silence isn’t doing— the silence doesn’t do you— do me any favours Joe.

Joe: Well, you know, I didn’t wanna talk over you when you’re sharing your insecurities.

Cleo: yeah….

Joe: That seems rude.

Cleo: I mean—

Joe: So I wanted to make sure you were done.

Cleo: no no no no, that’s fine. I’m always done Joe.

Joe: And nOW I can actually tell you how I really feel.

Cleo: No, please don’t. Not onl— no. That will— that will make me even more uncomfortable.

Joe (upbeat singing): The praise train is on its way!! Choo choo!!

Cleo: Noooooooooooooooooo!! Nooo!!

Joe: For Cleo it’s her day!! Choo choo!!

Cleo: *noises of distress*

Joe: Cleo is really great!! Choo choo!! Choo choo!!

Cleo: *distressful crying*

Joe: She’s not merely ok!! She doesn’t have to be the best at talking to people for the first time!! Cause they’ll love her anyway!! And sometimes they’ll even rhyyyme!! Yay for Cleo!!

Cleo: *physically going through a full body cringe* noooo

Joe: See, it would have been rude if I did that in the middle of your thing.

Cleo: *sob laughing*

Joe: That would not have been socially acceptable.

Cleo (through tears): I’m not even sure it was socially acceptable now.

Joe: WHY NOT?!

Cleo: (sobbing and laughing simultaneously) I hate you so much.

—

02:38:05

Cleo (reading chat): “We all need a Joe in our life, who sings a theme song for us when we’re talking ourselves down” I’m not sure you do.

Joe: Yeah, that wasn’t really a theme song? Like, if I was gonna do a theme song for Cleo—

Cleo (with immense dread): Oh no…no…no…

—

02:43:07

Joe: I’d just like to point out (very obnoxiously high pitched voice) That this is Cleo’s average person voice, which means that 50% of people have an even higher pitched voice!

Cleo: …You know, I can’t actually stab Joe through the Internet. And I’ve always been upset about that.

—

02:53:36

Joe (with all the enthusiasm of a 16 year old girl gossiping at a slumber party): Ooo I wanna ask Cleo about giiiiiirls!!!

Cleo: Ask me about girls! I’m— I’m happy for you to ask me about girls.

Joe: Ok, so, do you— do you feel comfortable saying what your specific, uh, type of woman is? I’m— I’m curious about that.

Cleo: Um, it’s— it’s nerdy girls? Specifically. Umm…not too, um…you know, the kind of running, climbing, you know— sort of— person. You know, it’s— it’s the sort of— it’s the sort of— action girl kinda thing. I kinda like that type. That’s sort of my type.

Joe: Mhm. Yeah, like—

Cleo: Why, what’s your type of girl?

Joe: Well, uh, usually it’s somebody that is— very anti authority— un— un— dissatisfied with the status quo. So usually more punk, or that sort of thing.

Cleo: Yeah. That’s— that’s— that sort of plays into the action girl sort of thing as well. Yeah I get that. So yeah.

Joe: yeah, umm, you— yeah so I don’t know. Um— so not necessarily, uh, as focused on the athleticism element there, but I know like—

Cleo: Well it’s not really athleticism, it’s— it’s more— it’s more—

Joe: —in terms of like, um, hiking, cause like, uh, you know in college there’s like a climbing and camping club or whatever—

Cleo: Oh yeah, it’s not that sort of person. It’s— it’s more, um…getting out and having a go at things. Like, you know, not— not being afraid to—

Joe: Adventurous

Cleo: Yeah! Adventurous! That’s the word!

—

Cleo (whispering): I don’t know where this bit goes! *gasp* it goes over there!

Joe (whispering): You can do it!

Cleo: I can do it! I believe in me!

Joe: You’ll find a place to glue it! It doesn’t necessarily have to be the right place!

Cleo: I know!

Joe: You’re equally valid regardless!

Cleo: Thanks Joe!

Joe: You’re welcome!

Cleo: It’s appreciated!

[donutloverxo]

A Royal Scandal 3

Modern Royal King!Steve au

(Image from Pinterest)

cowritten with @lizzygal​

Note - There will be no taglists for this. You can subscribe to the  ao3 story to receive updates!

Please note that my stories are not to be stolen or reposted on any other site. Reblogs are welcome. This blog and this story is 18+. Do not read, follow or interact if you are not 18+.

Summary - Modern ruler, His Majesty King Steven G Rogers, is on a quest to make his long term secret relationship the real thing. He is a man in love and wants his lover and partner to be his queen.

Warnings - Smut (m/f), dub con/non con, sex tape, scandals, mentions of past domestic abuse, soft dark Steve, possessive Steve, spanking, power imbalance, mentions of previous domestic abuse, somnophilia.

Pairing - King!Steve x reader

Word count - 7k

Story masterlist

Sometimes Steven forgot that you weren’t that much younger than him. He forgot about a lot of things when it was only the two of you. You did that to him. You made him forget things that everyone else reminded him of constantly, intentional and not.

Early that morning was no different.

Long before his alarm went off, Steve found himself on his side watching you sleep. Feeling in every way equal to you, like there was not this huge ocean of things that he did not have in common with you, opposed to what the two of you shared.

Obviously, he was the son of kings and tyrants while you were the daughter of immigrants and a blue-collar family. You’d grown up in a house full of love and kindness and acceptance, he had not. You’d ended your teenage years going to college and then travelling and ending up here, where you chose to stay and work and travel and live a life that Steve could only dream of, his own had never been his own and never would be.

You had dreams and hopes, little things like aspirations. He didn’t.

Steve’s life was dictated by things like duty and obligations, expectations. Yours was not.

Maybe that was why he’d been so drawn to you?

Compared to all the royals around Europe and titled individuals, politicians, even old families, none of them interested him even a fraction of the amount that you interested him. To Steve you were exotic. You were a fascinating creature who might as well have come from Mars.

He couldn’t even say what it was or why.

For so long it had felt right to be alone. Considering the blood of monsters ran through his veins, Steve had been uninterested in any sort of companionship more than a brief encounter at a private location.

For Christ’s sake, he refused to sleep in the bedroom that his father had slept in.

Upon assuming the throne, he’d selected to take up older quarters in an unused part of the palace living complex. As if to ensure he was as far away from the rooms that his father and grandfather and great-grandfather had slept. Choosing to sleep in a bed untainted by any of those men, stored from when his land was ruled by an emperor. Hoping with the hopes of a young king that it would save him from their madness.

Beside him, you slept so peacefully, trustingly.

Steve had never brought anyone into his private apartment. Nor had his bed seen any carnal action since it’d gone into storage. Until you. He’d simply never been so inclined.

A rough sound from the growth on his cheek rubbing against his pillow. A pleasant reminder of that night that felt so long ago, yet also like only yesterday.

He’d had a beard back then he remembered.

A full bushy one.

One that had made you laugh softly at, roll your eyes and still manage to pull off an acceptable bow when you greeted him that late night.

“They beat Canada then Your Majesty?” You had inquired with good nature, setting down a whole stack of papers and folders onto the very modern conference table in a big room that could fit two dozen, more if the people were standing.

He’d beamed.

Steve remembered he’d been in a particularly good mood that night. Even if he was working late on the education push into the outer regions of his kingdom. A good amount was still very rural, many simple villages that lived as they had fifty or more years ago. Many parts of his kingdom were still deeply rooted in the past.

“Indeed. Eleven to four.”

He was beaming. Beaming! You were pretty sure you could see molars. It made you shake your head and begin to sort out all your work into piles to go over. Not that you’d ever admit to secretly being caught up in the hype of the team being so close to gold at the Winter Olympics. “So then the beard stays?”

“You of all people,” he admonished, coming over to help you. Picking up the well-marked up maps you’d spent hours annotating.

Making you roll your eyes.

On he went though, obviously needing to drive home the seriousness of this matter. “The beard stays until we win gold. Next we play Norway. I don’t think it needs to be said that we cannot risk it.”

He was serious. Really serious. If that full glorious beard was any indication.

More focused on the organizing task yourself.

Sorting your work by region, pile by pile, each had taken much work and effort and negotiation, endless phone calls and trips and emails to each area to get them to work not only with you, but one another. It was like herding cats. It had taken you months to get this all sorted out for Steve to see. His ideas weren’t even ready to be implemented. This was just the pre-gaming, the leadup, the work in preparation. You weren’t even on Step One. You were on Step Zero.

“Now that I know, I’ll be sure to grow a beard next Winter Olympics.”

And then you were rewarded with a rich hearty laugh from your king.

Well not your king, as you weren’t a citizen of this country. But you still liked to think of him as your king.

Watching you sleep was something he’d never tire of. Never get enough of. It was a luxury that he didn’t realize he wanted day in out.

The ability to wake up with you tangled up in blankets. Curled back against his front. Hogging pillows as you did. Allowing Steve to run his fingers up and down your bare thigh, along the curves of your body. Letting him lean forward to press his lips to your shoulder and see the peaceful rest of your face in his slowly lightening bedroom. Every last inch of you here for him.

Hungry.

That was what it was, he was hungry for you. Like a big bear that woke from hibernation after a long winter. At times he felt such a way. Never having felt this way about anyone prior.

In his own time, he slipped his fingers down along the round of your ass underneath the flesh of your hip. Warm. Soft. Smooth. Neither of you had left the bed since the late night bath in his tub.

Further down Steve allowed his fingers to trail.

Memorizing every last second to get him through his day. From how you felt pressed against the front of him, how your back moved against his chest with every steady breath you took. The way your legs tangled in his buttery sheets with his own, how the soft cheeks of your bottom pressed against his alert groin.

Most definitely though, how your skin tasted and felt beneath his mouth. Smelling like yourself from all your favorite bath products kept in his bathroom.

You’d smelled so good that night too.

You always smelled good.

It was something that he had noticed but hadn’t given any real thought to.

It seemed to be a mix of perfume and body lotion or cream. Cause Steve found the flowery smell would linger after you walked by in the way that perfume did, infusing the air and making his brain scream out that you were near. But also, when you shook his hand, it always had that sweet fresh clean smell afterwards.

Now, whenever Steve smelled it, all he could think about was you.

Those smells danced around him. Making the late hour bearable. Making the fact that the offices were empty but for the two of you, when you both should have been home in bed, not matter.

“Ok…” you were talking to him, pointing out places on the massive map that was his nation. Arms crossed. Legs spread. Standing beside you as you informed him with tones that indicated your happiness, your displeasure as well as your utter irritation. “…so I managed to get in touch with every Education Department in all nine of your territories.”

Though you were not looking at him, Steve nodded, laser focused on this project he’d tasked you with months ago.

“All of the department heads are on board with your desired overhaul to completely modernize the entire system. Unfortunately, they told me that I had to call all the district heads for all forty-six provinces to get their agreed participation too.”

Your tone went from pleased with yourself then skeptical and then annoyed.

You turned your head to look at him. “Which is what I spent the last three months doing. It was something of a thing.”

Steve could only imagine.

He was quiet though so you could go on. More than pleased with how well you worked in this position. He’d originally been skeptical with your being a foreigner. How dedicated would you be to a job in a country that was not your own? One hundred percent as it turned out.

Your hands flattened out dramatically on the table. Outrage surged from you. “I’m still waiting on two appointees because their predecessors apparently died during harvest season and no one could be bothered to replace the position. I literally had to fly out to the outer reaches of civilization to find this out. Cause all the government offices are closed during harvest season, fyi. But they’re literally filling the positions now.”

Such was the challenge of having a large kingdom with one foot in the future and one in the past. Such things led to the difficultly of keeping a Chief of Staff.

Steve’s previous Chief of Staff had come highly recommended and lasted a little over a month.

Whether it was from a lack of dedication, the obvious frustrations of the job or maybe he simply had not wanted to jump on a plane and fly six hours then ride by car five hours to remote areas in order to complete his work. Steve could not be sure. All he knew for sure was he’d keep you as long as humanly possible.

In his eyes, you were a saint.

“What’s with the question mark?”

Making you look to see which question mark you’d marked on the map full of stickers and marks and tabs. Hours had been spent working on the damn thing.

Seeing which question mark in question made your nose scrunch. “Oh…them, they refuse to even answer my calls until they are allowed to take their traditional name for their province. Which is way above my pay grade. Someone else is going to have to deal with them. I tried.”

Ah, Steve nodded, that was far from surprising. The far outer regions were notoriously independent or rebellious, depending on your stance.

He would deal with them accordingly. Not how his father did, but in his own way.

Steve’s attention was drawn to two nearby provinces. Each had a frowny face sticker. Without asking, he merely pointed.

A noise of pure disgusted frustration came from deep in your throat. Making you stand and look to him, brandishing your hands in all directions. “I tried my best with them. I really did. Both of those provinces absolutely refuse to take part in anything if the other is involved. Apparently, they’re still salty at one another over something that happened in fourteen-seventy-three and refer to me as the foreign she-devil. So…good luck with them Your Majesty.”

Soundly you slept.

Comfortable. Safe. At peace.

Making him feel like a true man. A provider able to care for you, protect you, satisfy you. As if he were stripped down to what nature intended. Instead of what society had dictated for you both.

Reaching down to that heavenly place between the V in your thighs, Steve pushed his fingers further to find your softness slippery, your skin slick with viscous arousal. In pushing his finger up further, running it around the edge of your slit to where the gateway to your body was hidden, he found you heavily aroused. Coating his fingers with a thick fluid that promised you would be able to take him now. Oozing into the cervices between his fingers and smearing thickly down his palm and over the back of his hand.

Unable to help himself, he brought his hand out from between your legs in order to look at your arousal. Merely the sight made his balls clench in eager anticipation. Tasting the bodily excretions had his hips moving against yours on their own.

A noise came from you. Though you were far from waking. Always one to enjoy your sleep.

On his tongue you were heady, ripe. Tasting like sin. Steve licked his fingers. Eyes closed so he could savor the taste, how you clung to his tongue and were thick, like a burst of brandy swirling with his saliva.

Awakened now from his deep sleep. Ravenous like a beast of the forest. He pressed a lingering kiss to your shoulder. Making you mumble. Making you wiggle in your sleep, causing you to reach your arm out for a pillow to pull close. Hooking your leg up higher too. Becoming more comfortable in the bed in addition to opening yourself up more to your king. As if your body had connected to his on a level your mind was unaware and encouraged him to take you.

Down he peered. Strands of hair fell across his forehead at the harsh angle. A soft lightening of the sun through drapes he never closed last night allowed the sight of moisture. Folds of bare skin sheened up at him. Tempting him with that webbing of goo that promised him you were ready.

Taking himself in hand, he caught sight of your name curled over his side. Reminding him of your absolute possession over him. Sending his hand low to pull his foreskin back in order to feed this hunger of you that consumed him.

Your signature was all swoops and swirls.

Recognizable above anyone else’s writing he came across on a daily basis.

All over paper and on the maps. In little corners. Highlighted. In different color pens. On stickie notes. Written on napkins or on the back of random pieces of paper.

At the time, he’d had no idea how far gone he really was.

Not even when he watched you take note after note with a purple inked pen, your hand flowing across paper like a swimmer cutting through the water. Taking down his every word, every command.

A incredibly distinctive feeling of being full woke you up from your glorious sleep, in a very singular sort of way that could be from only one thing. Only one thing on earth felt like that when waking you up.

Pulling you out of a warm blissful sleep only to wake you with the exquisite feeling of being stretched open, pushed into, filled up. Making your fingers clench bedding or pillows or whatever they could grab.

A low breathy moan came from you in the time between you were woken and awake, your face burrowing in a pillow was followed by a soft profanity. Weight slowly covered you. Weight pinned you down to the bed a little at a time. Skin and sheets and soft dustings of hair rubbed against you.

Only when you had fully woken did you feel pubes brush against your cheeks. A light tap of scrotum bumped you too.

Long arms wrapped around you. Wet lips mouthed along the curve of your neck.

This was a far superior way to wake up. Compared to your apartment, in bed alone, to your neighbors loud shrilling alarm clock through your paper-thin wall.

Groaning out at the feel of His Majesty’s cock stuffed safely up in your secret garden. You found yourself whining at Steve at whatever time it was in the early morning. “…fuuuuck…what’d I say about doing that…” A swivel, nay, a swivel with a pop of his pelvis followed, making you see stars, gasp deeply as if you’d been stabbed in the lungs and then add on for God and Country. “…My King…shit, My King…oh shit, My King.”

Though it may have been said in jest, his tone was hot enough to scald. “If memory serves me correctly…” another deep push of thick hips shoved you forward into the pillows. “…you say, not in my ass unless I’m awake.”

Stars.

So many bright and colorful stars.

Mmm.

Yes, that was something you had told him on many occasions and it still held very true. If Steve was going to put anything in your ass, forget that thing he claimed was a dick, you needed to be fully awake so you could both physically and emotionally prepare yourself.

Nothing at all could have prepared you for the drastic turn your life was about to take that night.

Nothing.

Everything had been so normal. It was so regular. Like many a long night working late hours at the palace before. Hours had been spent going over all your hard work contacting each and every head in each education department per province, as well as per territory. In addition to the national department of education, preparing to prep them for what the king wanted.

Like any other late night, Steve helped you put all of your paperwork back in the correct order you had it in. Like every other time, he requested a palace car take you to your apartment. Granted the apartment you shared with your best friend was walking distance away. It was late and simply not safe and you found were touched that Steve would think about your well-being.

For a king, he wasn’t that bad. When it was the two of you anyway.

Looks aside, which he had in spades, he could be very funny in a sarcastic sort of way. He was very well read and intelligent, quick on his feet. Although people seemed to think of him a certain type of way based on his father and his own kingship at a young age, when he really was his own person.

You’d noticed he had a definite interest in the classical masters and had on rare occasion seen him sketch out something on a flight or during a less than stimulating event. He had an artistic ability that would never come to anything due to his role.

His strong sense of duty paired with a disgusting moral obligation pretty much guaranteed his life would be spent in service to his country. Period.

You could see why people thought he was hot. The man had been blessed by the genetic gods. Plus he was a king. Who didn’t grow up dreaming about being a princess? Or think about a literal Prince Charming from fairy tales?

Having now had the benefit of working in a real life palace. You knew the realities of that fantasy.

You had two pages of notes that could attest to the reality of your childhood Disney Princess movies.

Reality was always so different.

Not for the first time, you found yourself repeating yourself. “…and let me say one more time. Thank you so much for talking with my parents. I know it was only ten minutes, but, I know how busy you are and it just completely topped off their visit. My mother has been telling everyone about how she met the king. You even have my father cheering for the hockey team.”

A smile came over Steve’s face that was real.

It wasn’t one of his practiced smiles. It was an actual smile. You could tell because it reached his eyes.

“Well,” Steve answered you with a shrug, sounding genuinely pleased even if he also sounded tired and like he wanted nothing more than to go off to his living quarters in the palace and crash into bed, before he had to get up to start a new day. Helping you stack the last of your papers up. “Anything to convert a soul to hockey. Technically, it is his team too.” And because he could not help himself, Steve added on, “Even if his grandparents fled from here for a cushy life in the west.”

Up your hand flew to your chest.

Your jaw dropped in mock pain. “Ouch, Sir! That one was painful.”

His smile grew at your over-the-top reaction.

Still though, he dipped his head and you noticed there was a little blush on his cheeks above where that magnificent beard grew. Chagrined, he quickly followed up with, “I apologize. That was a cheap shot.”

In a physical sort of way that his people were known to interact, personal space be damned, Steve reached over to touch your arm apologetically. Not something he did frequently. Although he had done it a handful of times. The press of his mouth to your cheek was new. The little kiss was brand new. Steve’s lips were gentle on your skin. His beard tickled your face.

Never in your life had your heart pounded as violently in your chest as it did at that gesture. Quickly, your head turned. Though you did not move back or say anything. Instead, you found yourself staring at Steve. Looking into those pools of blue that were looking at you with the same amount of surprise that you felt. His lips were right there, right there.

Blood roared in your ears, your heart pounded faster and faster and faster.

He kissed you.

Did he really though?

Was it a kiss or was it a kiss?

For a moment in time, you leaned in. Leaned closer. Leaned till you almost touched him because that was what your body wanted to do. Until you remembered that Steve was a king. A KING. Remembering that made your head command your body to lean backwards a bit. Allowing you to see that he had leant in to meet you.

He’d leaned closer to kiss you.

What were you doing? What in the hell were you doing? You had no business doing this, no business at all messing around with Steve.

Fingers moved along your arm, tracing up the back of it softly. That simple touch made goosebumps break out over your skin. It made your breath hitch. Your hands began to shake so you grabbed the fabric of your skirt.

However, you made no move to step away from Steve. Nor did he make any sort of move to step away from you.

Another attempt at a kiss was not made.

Fingers touched your face instead. Steve was close enough to you that you felt his legs brush yours. You felt his breath against your face. Fingertips ran across the swell of your cheekbone, down over your lips, tracing the bridge of your nose in what felt like a desire to memorize your face.

Steve was gentle. His fingertips felt like feathers on your skin. He made you shake like a leaf in terror because you wanted him to touch you more. You wanted to be touched. You wanted to feel his hands on you and the soft glide of his thumb along the line of your jaw was painfully insufficient.

Without thinking, you reached up with your hands until you remembered that he was the king.

Were you allowed to touch the king? You weren’t sure. He was touching you and it was fabulous but were you allowed to do the same? You wanted to. You so deeply wanted to. You just were not sure what was allowed in this situation. It had not exactly been covered in the Royal Protocol Guidebook you had.

Then came Steve’s voice. Harsh. Gravelly. Desperate.

“Touch me. It’s ok. I want you to.”

For only a heartbeat or two you remained still, observing him, making sure. Only after that did you reach up with your hands to cover his wrists. Rub along the fabric of his button-up shirt. In doing so, you not only felt the strength in his well-muscled wrists, or how warm the silky fabric was, but, you could feel him tremble. He was shaking about as much as you were.

A rush of air surged from his lungs as if you had burnt him.

Curious, you turned your head so you could place a single kiss on the inside of his hand touching your face, right at the base of his thumb. In doing so, you ripped a noise from deep within him. A noise that was both pained while also infused with wanting.

“This is ok?”

“Yes,” he croaked out, as if he were terrified you would stop.

Never would you have ever imagined he would be so responsive. Almost touch starved it felt.

Sometimes, Steve still felt as if he were a little touch starved to you. Sometimes it felt like he’d gone his entire life without having that physical connection between two people. As complicated of a man as he was with as complicated of a life as he had, you at times forgot that he was still a human being with human being needs that were essential to thriving.

And it wasn’t like you were complaining.

Far from it.

Not after the orgasm you just had, not from on top of him either. Lounged across the front of him. Loose limbed. Languid down to your marrow. Peppering the damp skin of his neck with slow wet kisses and scrapes of teeth. Long drags of your tongue collected drops of salt that tasted of him. Lazily. Heart to heart. Stomach to stomach.

There really were worse ways to wake up.

Like, for instance, in your apartment taking cold showers cause the building’s water heater was ancient. That wasn’t fun at all and usually had you shivering and hurrying through an icy shower. Straight up not a good time.

This? This was soooo much better.

Feeling Steve’s long legs wrapped up in your own, paired with his softening member filling you by virtue of sheer size not letting himself just pop out…this was a much better way to wake up. Far superior in every way.

Not that you were willing to waste precious time like this luxuriating in post-coital bliss. No, no. A burning question was hot on your mind that kept popping up after last night. After all, you were a modern woman and this was a serious relationship. You had every right to ask this question at any time you wanted. Even now. As your boyfriend, the king, fondled your breasts in his hands with such intensity that you would have thought he’d just broken out of Alcatraz after a decade of no nookie. Not that you were in the least bit complaining. Not one bit.

“Am I going to have to quit my job?”

It was something of a concern.

You loved your job. You loved working with Steve. You loved your life as it was and a big part of you suspected becoming queen would mean big changes.

Not that you lifted your head from his neck, or ceased your trek down towards his collarbone. Trail of your kisses never slowing or stopping. No hint of any sort of disruption came. Not for a moment or two. Not till your ravenous boyfriend squeezed your breasts possessively. Thumbed your nipples and finally opened his eyes, as if it were the biggest chore on earth.

His voice was rough. His tone felt like hot gooey honey that just got everywhere. “No…not yet…”

Leading you to make a noise. A pop followed when your mouth left the dark spot you’d been sucking on nearly at his collarbone. What with your name already etched on him. What else could you leave in a display of ownership over him? “Nothing else to add My King?” For added emphasis, perhaps you gave you vaginal muscles a clench knowing what that did to him.

A grunt came from beneath you.

Wrapped up in yours, Steve’s legs clenched in response to what you did. White teeth sank into his upper lip and you absolutely thrived at the sight and feel of him arching up against you, shifting around beneath you at the way your body squeezed him.

Those hands left your breasts only to reach down, run over your waist as they had so many times before, leading you to grab them. Snatch then right up. Press them down into the mattress over Steve’s head. Since the man was far larger than you, this sent you leaning downwards and ever closer to his face. “Steve? I asked you a question.”

How easy it would have been for him to get free. Yet, he seemed content where he found himself. Still wedged within you. Warm in bed. Body a sea of a complex cocktail of chemicals after physically releasing into you. A far better way to wake up than alone in a massive bed. Or worse, to his mother jabbing at him to urgently tell him something that was not urgent at all.

Feeling your breasts press against his chest. Lightly brushing over his skin, your nipples little points that sparked a definite interest in his dick.

God did he want you to be his queen.

“Not yet,” Steve ground out, nearly close to being overwhelmed by you. Each and every word was enunciated to utter perfection, as if it took all of his concentration and effort to get them out. “I’ll have the palace leave your name out of the official statement today. We can go slow. Ease you into things…ease you out of your job…” and to reward him for such a thoughtful statement, you clenched around him once more.

However, it seemed, there was more and even though his eyes rolled up into his head at the feel of your core squeezing his not entirely soft organ, he pushed on with the determination of his ancestors. Grunting. Arching back into the bed as the pillows had all wound up on the floor. Perfect teeth clenched together. “M-my people…will…love you…too.”

So, it was entirely possible, that you were feeling all kinds of powerful watching him writhe beneath you. Knowing exactly what sort of repercussions this could have to your morning. Which was still progressing on time. It was entirely possible that you may have intentionally pushed your own pelvis against his to reseat yourself.

“Oh yeah? How can you be so sure? You saw what happened with those two over in England. And that prince isn’t even next in line to the throne.”

Perhaps it was the seriousness of the direction in which your conversation had taken, Steve remained beneath you. Taking no action, even though you could quite literally feel his dick grow more interested in what your hips were doing.

A panted out, “…fuck…” escaped from him, before he opened his eyes to look at you seriously, if not also a little heatedly. “Quit obsessing over them. The King of Jordan married for love. Queen Rania was a commoner. If you must, focus on them.”

Sudden movement found you falling off Steve and onto the bed, shoved onto your back and in a flash, he was on top of you again. Over you. Hovering. Though he’d escaped out of your body, you could feel the king’s most delicious semi, slick from your previous copulation, squish between you both.

Admitting on an exhale, “Forgot about them.”

“Everyone does.” He agreed, surveying down, taking in the sight of you. “My country appreciates you. They’re fond of you. You’re in all the papers and they’ve given you a nickname.”

And that. That. Nearly killed the mood.

It sent your eyebrows together dubiously so.

Everytime you were in the press it was when your skirt had been blown up on a windy day, or if you’d accidentally gotten food on your shirt. Or that time a baby goat pooped on your shoes. Or when you’d tripped and fallen off a dock into a lake. Who could forget that time you’d accidentally called the Prime Minister of Canada a ‘moose fucking cannibal’ when you’d still been getting the hang of the language, your first year on the job?

You’d been affectionately dubbed, ‘the King’s Foreign Devil’ and it had stuck.

Hell, you still got asked about your thoughts on the Canadian Prime Minister whenever a member of the press was around.

“Most the time, you have a higher approval rating than I do,” he added. Much to the consternation of Maria Hill in PR. “Trust me. There is nothing my country loves more than a hard-working loyal servant of the people who talks shit about western leaders.”

Mood totally killed, you seethed and not for the first time, “That was an accident! I was trying to call him Canada’s Disney Prince.”

***

The note had been hand delivered to the palace and was now crumbled into a ball in the Queen Mother’s bedroom as she stormed off, once more, that early morning in a fury of rose satin and silk. Her perfume clouded around her, drifting behind her, much like the wake of a boat cutting through the water.

Thick carpets silenced her heels. Doors opened for her as she neared them, allowing her to not need to slow her step even for a second. Not a single moment wasted as she made her way through the private living quarters of the palace.

Down hallways and around corners, over to the rooms that her grown son had selected as his own.

It would have been so much easier if he would have just taken the rooms that his father had lived in.

Although, with the horrific memories attached to those rooms, how could she blame him when he elected not to? She had her own private rooms. The dead kings rooms were locked up tight and still not used. Abandoned like so much he’d done, started and accomplished in his life.

Upon coming to her only child’s rooms, those doors were held open for her and on she pressed on. Sailing through his rooms, one after another, until she got closer to his bedroom and could hear his shower which was the direction she headed.

A brief glance was made at the mess that was his bed.

A roll of her eyes was followed by a shake of her head.

Some things males never grew out of it seemed.

“Steven!” She called out in warning, should he be in the bathroom about to come out in the nude. Which was the last thing she wanted to see.

Not only was his bed a mess but his clothes from yesterday were all over the floor.

She had every intention of telling him that he needed to straighten up this mess before the cleaning staff came in his room. The last thing she wanted was for them to think he was messy and then tell their families and friends when they went home that the king had a messy bedroom and word would get out that her son was a slob. Ugh. No. She’d make sure that he straightened up.

Speaking of the devil.

As his shower ran, Steve peered out of the bathroom with a wet head. A midnight blue towel was wrapped around his waist. A toothbrush was in his hand. To Sarah, it was very clear that her grown son had not shaved yet either.

Seeing him in such a state that morning along with his messy room and the fact the shower was going wasting water. It did not make her mood any more agreeable.

Though her son was taller than her and considerably more muscular, she never feared him.

She knew he would never hurt her like his father had so many times. Towards the end, Steve had even defended her from his father’s physical attacks. Those days. They had been dark. Horrible. Terrible. When she noticed that her husband had begun to carry a knife to protect himself from his son. Well. What was she supposed to do?

Attacking her was one thing. Being violent towards her was one thing. There were some things that she learned to tolerate. It was unescapable. Their son though. To take a knife to their son? Her son? Sarah would never allow such a thing.

She was queen at the time.

It was not so difficult to get the drug that she put in her husband’s evening nightcap. She’d used all of it. Thrown the vial away the next day when she went to rouse the king as she did every morning, only to find him dead in his chair. Fireplace having long gone out. Slumped down. Cold. The coroner had said it was a heart attack. Exactly as she’d been told the drug would work. He’d been buried with no one the wiser. Not even Steve.

“Yes mother?”

Sarah rolled her eyes. “You are not growing another beard. Last time you looked like some man that lives up in the mountains in a tiny shack.”

Just as her own father once did, Steve’s eyebrows rose in surprise and question.

No. That was not why she was here.

Sarah had a higher calling that morning and straightening her slim shoulders, she so informed him. “Hope and Janet are here in the city. They’ve come for a surprise visit and will arrive at the palace within the hour.”

Steve’s eyes narrowed at her in response to her information.

It was horrifying. It was outrageous. It was not what he wanted to hear that morning one bit. Not at all. Not one single bit.

Hope and Janet?

Those were two names he never wanted to hear with the additional words being, ‘on their way’. No. Just no.

All he could say that was remotely civil, after what the then Princess Hope van Dyne had done, came out in something of a tone. “I don’t want to see either of them. If you want to see them, that’s your choice. Keep them away from me.”

Considering what the now Duchess Hope had spewed to every reporter, journalist and whomever with a platform…Sarah was a little surprised that Steve was being so kind.

She’d expected a bit more of a reaction from her son.

Could she be holding a bigger grudge against her one-time closest friend’s daughter? After what had happened, Queen Janet van Dyne had become somewhat distant. Which was not surprising. Hope had not broken the engagement gracefully. Nor had she been anything less than opinionated afterwards.

“I suspect she is in trouble,” Sarah confessed. “Why else would they come here? Considering everything that Hope has said over the years.”

Steam continued to seep through the cracked door.

Sarah was about to say something about the shower. Steve was wasting a considerable amount of hot water. She herself was leading the Go Green Initiative in the country and as she stated constantly, it all began at home.

“Mother, don’t take this the wrong way, but, I wouldn’t shit in Hope’s mouth if she was starving.”

Ah.

Perhaps she’d been too quick to judge Steve’s current opinion on the wayward duchess?

Pondering his statement, Sarah found herself looking for any way to come back with a counter when she noticed that the shower turned off. Which was odd. Shower’s didn’t turn themselves off.

What was even more peculiar, Steve reached back behind himself to shut his bathroom door.

It clicked.

Like a light going off.

How could she not have noticed? How could it not have been obvious?

Blue eyes that were a little softer than her son’s narrowed. “You aren’t alone.”

Silence.

Quiet.

Her pink lips opened in surprised. A question hovered on her tongue.

“No mother.”

“But…”

“Mother,” he implored as only a son could. “Not now. She would not want the first time she officially meets you to be when you’re dressed for the day and she is not.”

And though her son’s words were true. They were right. They were exactly what she would have wanted him to say and because she had raised him well, she was even proud that he had made such a quick decision. It wasn’t fair.

Sarah wanted to find out who you were. She wanted to meet the woman that her son was involved with. Was that so wrong? Sarah wanted to meet the woman that her son was considering marrying. There was so much she wanted to say to you, so much to teach you, so much she wanted to learn about you. Perhaps her desperation showed because her son reached out to place a hand on her elbow.

“If you can chase Hope and Janet away, we could have lunch together. The three of us. If not, dinner? Or even tomorrow. I’m not doing anything with Hope under this roof. Not after she referred to our country as a third world plus hellhole full of war criminals and superstitious backwoods heathens.”

Ah, so he did remember.

Those words had been seared into her memory as well. Sometimes Sarah wondered, as Steve had never really given much indication that he cared one way or the other what Hope had said. It was only after she began to speak unflatteringly about their people that he grew irritated, much like herself.

Although, what irritated Sarah more, was the quiet that came from the royal house of van Dyne and Pym a few countries over. Never once had Janet spoke up. Never had Janet said anything about her daughters outrageous remarks or behavior. Nor had she apologized.

Knowing her son, Sarah knew that he would never court anyone who was not kind or compassionate. Steve would never pick a Hope as his queen.

Up came a hand that bore a lovely ring decorated with fresh water pearls from their own waters. “I’ll have them gone before lunch and then we will all sit down together so I can finally meet her.”